liam's master on further acquaintance proves half as loyal and
trustworthy as William--I couldn't help it."
"I wonder what you mean exactly by loyal and trustworthy?"
"They're not very elastic terms, are they?"
"Don't you think they mean rather the same thing?"
"Not a bit," Meg cried eagerly; "a person might be ever so trustworthy
and yet not loyal. I take it that trustworthy and honest in tangible
things are much the same. Loyalty is something intangible, and often
means belief in people when everything seems against them. It's a much
rarer quality than to be trustworthy. William would stick to one if one
hadn't a crust, just because he liked to be there to make things a bit
less wretched."
Miles smoked in silence for a minute, and again Meg closed her eyes.
"By the way," he said presently, "I didn't know you and my cousin Pen
were friends. I met her in the Park the day before yesterday. Her hair's
rather the same colour as yours--handsome woman, isn't she?"
Meg opened her eyes and turned crimson. Had the outspoken Lady Pen said
anything about her hair, she wondered.
Miles, noting the sudden blush, put it down to Lady Pen's knowledge of
what had happened at the Trents, and the miserable feelings of doubt and
apprehension came surging back.
"She's quite lovely," said Meg.
"A bit too much on the big side, don't you think?"
"I admire big women."
Silence fell again. Meg pulled the rug up under her chin.
Surely it was not quite so warm as a few minutes ago.
Miles stood up. "I have a guilty feeling that Miss Ross will strongly
disapprove of my disturbing you like this. If you will tell me which way
they have gone I will go and meet them."
"They've gone to your uncle's woods, and I think they must be on their
way home by now. If you call William he'll answer."
"I won't say good-bye," said Miles, "because I shall come back with
them."
"I shall be on duty then," said Meg. "Good-bye."
She turned her face from him and nestled down among her cushions. For a
full minute he stood staring at the back of her head, with its crushed
and tumbled tangle of short curls.
Then quite silently he took his way out of the Wren's End garden.
Meg shut her eyes very tight. Was it the light that made them smart so?
CHAPTER XIX
THE YOUNG IDEA
Squire Walcote had given the Wren's End family the run of his woods,
and, what was even more precious, permission to use the river-path
through his gro
|