Last Wednesday! and it was now Monday. 83 Denas was dashed by the news. But she chattered away about everyone they knew, and got her patches, and her story paper, and then, just as the gloaming was losing itself in the fog from the sea, she started down the cliff. Roland was waiting for her. He took her in his arms and kissed her with an eager and delighted affection; and though the fog had changed to a soft rain, neither of them appeared to be uncomfortably aware of the fact. Denas drew the hood of her waterproof over her head and Roland the heavy collar of his coat about his ears, and they sat close together on the damp rock, with Roland’s umbrella over them.
There was so much to say that they really said nothing. When they had but half finished repeating “Sweet Denas!” and “Dear Roland!” Denas had to go. It was only then she found courage to intimate, in a half-frightened way, that she had been thinking and wondering about her voice, and if she really could learn to sing. Roland flushed with delight to find the seed he had sown with so much doubt grown up to strength and ripeness.
“My lovely one!” he answered, “you must go to London and have lessons; and I will take care of you. I will see that you have justice and that no one hurts you.”
“But where could I live? And how? I have one hundred pounds of my own. Will that be enough?”
“You little capitalist! How did you get a hundred pounds?”
“Father has put a few pounds in the bank at 84 St. Merryn every year since I was born for me, and I have put there all the money your sister paid me. Father said it was to furnish my home when I got married, but I would rather spend it on my voice.”
“I should think so. Well, Beauty, you are to come and see Elizabeth off Wednesday; then I shall have something sweet and wonderful to say to you.”
“Will Elizabeth send for me? That would make it easy.”
“I do not think Elizabeth will send for you. I have been hoping for that. She has not named you at all. For my sake, come to the Court on Wednesday.”
“It is a long way to walk, but for your sake I will come.”