"You are just in time," she said, looking up at him, and he looked back
at her rather vacantly; for Ida had been in his arms too recently, for
his mind, his whole being, to be sufficiently clear of her to permit
him to take any interest in anything else "for tea," she said. "Here it
comes. Shall I pour it out for you? Have you been riding far?"
"Not very far," he said. "You have been riding, too. Is it a wonder we
did not meet."
"Yes," she assented, languidly. "I met no one, saw no one, while I was
out. Here comes your shadow," she added, as Tiny, having heard his
beloved master's voice, came helter-skelter, head over heels, and leapt
on Stafford's lap. "How fond he is of you."
Stafford nodded.
"Yes; I'm jolly glad no one answered the advertisement for its owner."
She bent over and stroked the terrier, who always seemed uneasy under
her caress, and her hand touched Stafford's. She glanced at him as it
did so, but the white hand so soft and warm might have been a piece of
senseless wood for all its effect upon him whose soul was still
thrilling with Ida Heron's touch; and with a tightening of the lips,
she took her hand away and leant back, but her eyes still clung to him,
as, all unconscious, he bent over the dog.
At that moment a carriage drove up, and Mr. Falconer alighted. He came
up the steps, his heavy face grave and yet alert; and his keen eyes
glanced at the pair as they sat side by side. Stafford looked up and
nodded.
"Glad to see you back, Mr. Falconer," he said, pleasantly. "Stands
London where it did?"
"Pretty much so, yes," responded Mr. Falconer, grimly. "Yes, plenty of
other thing change, have their day and cease to be, but the little
village keeps its end up and sees things--and men--come and go, flare
up, flicker and fizzle out. No, thanks; I'll have some tea in my room."
"And like a dutiful daughter, I will go and pour it out for him," said
Maude.
She rose--Tiny rose also, and barked at her--followed her father to his
room and stood watching him as he took off his frock-coat--he had no
valet--and slowly put on a loose jacket.
"Well?" she said, at last.
He sank into a chair and looked up at her with a sardonic smile on his
face.