She could not go to the station, and did not
venture even to wait anywhere in sight of the exit. Whether any
passenger had alighted must remain uncertain. If Everard had arrived by
this train, doubtless he would go to the hotel, which stood only a few
yards from the line. He would take a meal and presently come forth.

Having allowed half an hour to elapse, she dressed and walked
shoreward. Seascale has no street, no shops; only two or three short
rows of houses irregularly placed on the rising ground above the beach.
To cross the intervening railway, Rhoda could either pass through the
little station, in which case she would also pass the hotel and be
observable from its chief windows, or descend by a longer road which
led under a bridge, and in this way avoid the hotel altogether. She
took the former route. On the sands were a few scattered people, and
some children subdued to Sunday decorum. The tide was rising. She went
down to the nearest tract of hard sand, and stood there for a long
time, a soft western breeze playing upon her face.

If Barfoot were here he would now be coming out to look for her. From a
distance he might not recognize her figure, clad as she was in a
costume such as he had never seen her wearing. She might venture now to
walk up towards the dry, white sandheaps, where the little convolvulus
grew in abundance, and other flowers of which she neither knew nor
cared to learn the names. Scarcely had she turned when she saw Everard
approaching, still far off, but unmistakable. He signalled by taking
off his hat, and quickly was beside her.

'Did you know me before I happened to look round?' she asked laughingly.

'Of course I did. Up there by the station I caught sight of you. Who
else bears herself as you do--with splendid disdain of common mortals?'

'Please don't make me think that my movements are ridiculous.'

'They are superb. The sea has already touched your cheeks. But I am
afraid you have had abominable weather.'

'Yes, rather bad; but there's hope to-day. Where do you come from?'

'By train, only from Carnforth. I left London yesterday morning, and
stopped at Morecambe--some people I know are there. As trains were
awkward to-day, I drove from Morecambe to Carnforth. Did you expect me?'

'I thought you might come, as you spoke of it.'

'How I have got through the week I couldn't tell you. I should have
been here days ago, but I was afraid. Let us go nearer to the sea. I
was afraid