e
sitting near the window, half-shadowed by the curtains? Or standing in
front of the fire, perhaps, absently gazing into it, her tall and
elegant figure outlined by the crimson flames?

When he arrived at Brighton he walked rapidly away down to the King's
Road, and there he moderated his pace, keeping his eyes alert. The
people were beginning to come out from the various churches and many of
them, before going in-doors, joined that slow promenade up and down the
greensward farther west. But, look where he might, there was no sign of
Lady Cunyngham and her daughter, nor of Lady Adela and her two sisters.
They would have been easily distinguishable, he thought. That they were
in Brighton, he had no doubt; but apparently they were nowhere in this
throng; so, rather downhearted, he retraced his steps to the Orleans
Club, where he passed an hour or two with such acquaintances as he met
there.

He was more fortunate in the afternoon. When he went along to Adelaide
Crescent, Lady Cunyngham and her daughter were both at home; and it was
with a sense of joyous relief--and yet with a touch of disquietude
too--that he found himself ascending the soft-carpeted stairs. When he
was shown into the drawing-room, he found only one occupant there--it
was Honnor Cunyngham herself, who was standing by a big portfolio set on
a brass stand, and apparently engaged in arranging some large
photographs. She turned and greeted him very pleasantly and without any
surprise; she went to two low settles coming out at right angles from the
fireplace and sat down, while he took a seat opposite her; if he was
rather nervous and bewildered, at finding himself thus suddenly face to
face with her and alone with her, she was quite calm and self-possessed.

"Mother has just gone up-stairs; she will be here presently," Miss
Honnor said. "But what a pity my sisters did not know you were coming
down. After church they all went off to visit an old lady, a great
friend of theirs, who can't get out-of-doors nowadays; and so I suppose
they stayed on so as to keep her company. However, I have no doubt they
will be here before long. What a pleasant thing it must be for you," she
added, "to be able to run down to Brighton for a day after a week's hard
work at the theatre."

"Yes," he answered, in a half-bitter kind of fashion. "It is a pleasant
thing to get away from the theatre--anywhere. I think I am becoming
rather sick of the theatre and all its associations.