He patted her hand as he held it, patted and stroked it and looked at
her with a tender and encouraging smile, which made Ida's eyes grow
moist.
She rode down the dale gravely and sadly for some minutes: then the
thought flashed through her mind, warming her heart, that she was not
alone, but there was one who loved her and to whom she could by for
consolation and encouragement. Yes, it was only right that she should
tell Stafford all; there should be no concealment from him.
She rode down the dale looking for him, but he was nowhere to be seen.
When she came to the opening by the lake she saw the large, white Villa
gleaming in the sunlight; a launch was patting off from the
landing-place with men and women on board, and the could almost fancy
that she heard the sound of laughter. The contrast of the prosperity
typified by the great white place and the poverty of Heron Hall smote
her sharply. She was poorer even than she had thought: what would the
great, the rich Sir Stephen say to such a daughter-in-law? She watched
the launch dreamily as it shot across the lake, and wondered whether
Stafford was on board, laughing and talking perhaps with the beautiful
Miss Falconer. In this moment of her trouble the thought was not
pleasant, but there was no jealousy in it, for in her assurance of his
love he was free to talk and jest with whom he pleased. She turned, and
after making her usual circuit, rode home-wards. As she reached the
cross-road she heard the sound of a horse coming from the Hall, and she
pulled up, her heart beating fast; then it sank with disappointment,
for the horseman came round the bend and she saw that it was a groom.
He touched his hat as he passed, and rode on at a sharp trot in the
direction of Bryndremere. Ida wondered why he had been to the Hall, but
concluded that he had gone there with some message about the farm
produce.
When she rode into the stable-yard, she saw Jessie and Jason standing
by the small hall door and talking eagerly, and Jessie came forward,
and taking a letter from under her apron, held it out with a smile.
"It's just come from the Villa, Miss Ida," she said. "And oh, miss,
what I told you this morning--it's quite true. It was Mr. Stafford's
own groom as brought the note, and he says that his master is engaged
to Miss Falconer, and that the whole place is in excitement over it. He
was as proud as Punch, Miss Ida; for he says that his new mistress is
terrible rich as well as beautiful, and that there'll be the grandest
of grand doings up there."