"She did mean Lilias Mackenzie—and Lilias Mackenzie is engaged to somebody else. Mrs. Parkinson saw Cyril, and she says he was all impatience to get home—so eager to be off."
"Poor Cyril!" whispered Jean, every feature quivering.
"He was true to you—I am sure he was."
"He—is true!"
Jean disengaged herself, stooped to kiss Evelyn, and was gone.
Half-an-hour later she reappeared, almost her usual self; only with reddened eyes and strained look; still urgently entreating to start immediately. For almost the first time in her life, she forgot to think of others, under the pull of this intense desire. Evelyn made no difficulties; and Jem believed that to be on the move might be best for both of them. As Jean had said, they could reach Dieppe in time for the night-packet, which did not start till after one o'clock in the morning.
[CHAPTER IV.]
ROUGH WINDS.
"Loud the angry wind was wailing."
LONGFELLOW.
JEM had crossed the Channel many a time, but he had never known a rougher passage. Until they were well out of Dieppe harbour, nobody—not even the experienced Captain—had imagined what the force of wind and wave would be: or certainly Jem would have insisted on delay, notwithstanding Jean's impatience to be off. Such weather is rare in May, when one expects to have done with the worst gales of winter and spring.