"Tonbridge!" I repeated.
"But he is not the man to--to run away," said she doubtfully
--"even from you."
"No, indeed!" said I, shaking my head, "he certainly did not run
away, but circumstances--and a stone, were too much--even for him."
"A stone?"
"Upon which he--happened to fall, and strike his head--very
fortunately for me."
"Was he--much hurt?"
"Stunned only," I answered.
She was still kneeling beside my chair, but now she sat back, and
turned to stare into the fire. And, as she sat, I noticed how
full and round and white her arms were, for her sleeves were
rolled high, and that the hand, which yet held the sponge, was
likewise very white, neither big nor little, a trifle wide, perhaps,
but with long, slender fingers. Presently, with a sudden gesture,
she raised her head and looked at me again--a long, searching look.
"Who are you?" she asked suddenly.
"My name," said I, "is Peter."
"Yes," she nodded, with her eyes still on mine.
"Peter--Smith," I went on, "and, by that same token, I am a
blacksmith--very humbly at your service."
"Peter--Smith!" she repeated, as though trying the sound of it,
hesitating at the surname exactly as I had done. "Peter--Smith!
--and mine is Charmian, Charmian--Brown." And here again was a
pause between the two names.
"Yours is a very beautiful name," said I, "especially the
Charmian!"
"And yours," she retorted, "is a beautifully--ugly one!"
"Yes?"
"Especially the--Peter!"
"Indeed, I quite agree with you," said I, rising, "and now, if I
may trouble you for the towel--thank you!" Forthwith I began to
dry my face as well as I might on account of my injured thumb,
while she watched me with a certain elusive merriment peeping
from her eyes, and quivering at me round her lips, an expression
half mocking, half amused, that I had seen there more than once
already. Wherefore, to hide from her my consciousness of this, I
fell to towelling myself vigorously, so much so, that, forgetting
the cut in my brow, I set it bleeding faster than ever.
"Oh, you are very clumsy!" she cried, springing up, and,
snatching the towel from me, she began to stanch the blood with
it. "If you will sit down, I will bind it up for you."
"Really, it is quite unnecessary," I demurred.