Alison obeyed, as she always obeyed her sister; and Lord Keith, taking
his constitutional turn before breakfast on the esplanade, was met by
what he so little expected to encounter that he had not time to get out
of the way--a Bath chair with Alison walking on one side, his brother
on the other. He bowed coldly, but Ermine held out her hand, and he was
obliged to come near.
"I am glad to have met you," she said.
"I am glad to see you out so early," he answered, confused.
"This is an exception," she said, smiling and really looking beautiful.
"Good-bye, I have thought over what passed yesterday, and I believe we
are more agreed than perhaps I gave you reason to think."
There was a queenly air of dignified exchange of pardon in her manner of
giving her hand and bending her head as she again said "Good-bye," and
signed to her driver to move on.
Lord Keith could only say "Good-bye;" then, looking after her, muttered,
"After all, that is a remarkable woman."