"Captain Arthur Lenox. My dear, your memory is not so good as mine," Lady Denham said, with pardonable satisfaction.
Sir Keith laughed and assented. "I am not good at names," he said. "Yes, that was it,—Arthur Lenox. A fine soldierly young fellow,—only rather too cynical in his way of speaking. But that might mend in time. I wish we had not lost sight of him since. He seemed—"
A sudden pause took place. I knew why. Till the utterance of that name, I had not dreamt of whom they were speaking. Then in a moment the past came back, and I was once more in the little old Bath sitting-room, alone with Arthur Lenox. And an added pain had come to me, in a new realisation of the suffering that I had caused to him. I did not stir, did not lift my eyes from the photograph, but I knew that every drop of blood had left my face, driven inward, as it were, and for the instant I knew myself to be incapable of steady speech.
That dreadful silence! It did not last, I am persuaded, over three seconds, if so long. Yet they might have been three hours to me.
Then Sir Keith turned over a page of the album, and began talking again in a quiet even voice, drawing away the attention of the girls. And I was able to look up. I saw Elfie's eyes wide-open and startled, while Miss Millington's were on me in a fixed stare, which perhaps proved more bracing than anything else. I knew that I must act at once, so I turned back the last page, as if to look once more at the street of Rouen, and remarked with a smile—
"Those quaint old French towns must be very interesting. I should like to see them." In a doubtful tone, I added, "Lenox, did you say? I have known one or two of that name, but I am not aware of their having been to Rouen."
And I said the words with entire composure.
"Rouen lies very much in the beaten track," said Sir Keith. "Tourists seldom fail to go there, sooner or later. I can show you other views of French towns, very similar. But I see that the rain is over. Would anybody like to come and take a look at the fernery?"
"I should," I said at once. "Yes, really—" and as his eyes met mine in a swift questioning glance, I laughed quite naturally. "I believe I am rather tired to-day, and I have just been feeling a little—not quite well, perhaps. And the fresh air will revive me."
"My dear, you fag too hard with all these young folks," Lady Denham said, in such a kind manner. "You ought to take a little rest sometimes."