Business being over, he turned to speak to the timber merchant. But
Melbury's manner was short and distant; and Grace, too, looked vexed
and reproachful. Winterborne then discovered that he had been
unwittingly bidding against her father, and picking up his favorite
lots in spite of him. With a very few words they left the spot and
pursued their way homeward.
Giles was extremely sorry at what he had done, and remained standing
under the trees, all the other men having strayed silently away. He
saw Melbury and his daughter pass down a glade without looking back.
While they moved slowly through it a lady appeared on horseback in the
middle distance, the line of her progress converging upon that of
Melbury's. They met, Melbury took off his hat, and she reined in her
horse. A conversation was evidently in progress between Grace and her
father and this equestrian, in whom he was almost sure that he
recognized Mrs. Charmond, less by her outline than by the livery of the
groom who had halted some yards off.
The interlocutors did not part till after a prolonged pause, during
which much seemed to be said. When Melbury and Grace resumed their
walk it was with something of a lighter tread than before.
Winterborne then pursued his own course homeward. He was unwilling to
let coldness grow up between himself and the Melburys for any trivial
reason, and in the evening he went to their house. On drawing near the
gate his attention was attracted by the sight of one of the bedrooms
blinking into a state of illumination. In it stood Grace lighting
several candles, her right hand elevating the taper, her left hand on
her bosom, her face thoughtfully fixed on each wick as it kindled, as
if she saw in every flame's growth the rise of a life to maturity. He
wondered what such unusual brilliancy could mean to-night. On getting
in-doors he found her father and step-mother in a state of suppressed
excitement, which at first he could not comprehend.
"I am sorry about my biddings to-day," said Giles. "I don't know what
I was doing. I have come to say that any of the lots you may require
are yours."
"Oh, never mind--never mind," replied the timber-merchant, with a
slight wave of his hand, "I have so much else to think of that I nearly
had forgot it. Just now, too, there are matters of a different kind
from trade to attend to, so don't let it concern ye."
As the timber-merchant spoke, as it were, down to him from a higher
moral plane than his own, Giles turned to Mrs. Melbury.