; but he
immediately withdrew his eyes and passed by.

Somerset was as much surprised at encountering her thus as she had been
distressed to see him. As soon as they were out of hearing, he asked his
father quietly, 'What strange thing is this, that Lady De Stancy should
be here and her husband not with her? Did she bow to me, or to you?'

'Lady De Stancy--that young lady?' asked the puzzled painter. He
proceeded to explain all he knew; that she was a young lady he had met
on his journey at two or three different times; moreover, that if
she were his son's client--the woman who was to have become Lady De
Stancy--she was Miss Power still; for he had seen in some newspaper
two days before leaving England that the wedding had been postponed on
account of her illness.

Somerset was so greatly moved that he could hardly speak connectedly to
his father as they paced on together. 'But she is not ill, as far as I
can see,' he said. 'The wedding postponed?--You are sure the word was
postponed?--Was it broken off?'

'No, it was postponed. I meant to have told you before, knowing you
would be interested as the castle architect; but it slipped my memory in
the bustle of arriving.'

'I am not the castle architect.'

'The devil you are not--what are you then?'

'Well, I am not that.'

Somerset the elder, though not of penetrating nature, began to see that
here lay an emotional complication of some sort, and reserved further
inquiry till a more convenient occasion. They had reached the end of
the level beach where the cliff began to rise, and as this impediment
naturally stopped their walk they retraced their steps. On again nearing
the spot where Paula and her aunt were sitting, the painter would have
deviated to the hotel; but as his son persisted in going straight on, in
due course they were opposite the ladies again. By this time Miss
Power, who had appeared anxious during their absence, regained her
self-control. Going towards her old lover she said, with a smile, 'I
have been looking for you!'

'Why have you been doing that?' said Somerset, in a voice which he
failed to keep as steady as he could wish.

'Because--I want some architect to continue the restoration. Do you
withdraw your resignation?'

Somerset appeared unable to decide for a few instants. 'Yes,' he then
answered.

For the moment they had ignored the presence of the painter and Mrs.
Goodman, but Somerset now made them known to one another, and there