"Not when you have known Lady Phipps."
Barbara stooped down and gathered a pebble from the strand; her voice was husky when she spoke again:
"Then you admire, you like Lady Phipps?"
"Admire her—oh, lady, that is a faint word. Lady Phipps is almost worshipped; so beautiful, so generous and kind hearted."
"Yes—yes. I saw that she was beautiful; I believe the rest," answered Barbara, speaking quickly and out of breath, though she was walking at a slow pace.
"And she thinks so highly of the governor—she loves him so devotedly!"
"And he?"
Barbara scarcely spoke above a whisper; and her eyes grew bright, almost fierce, as she waited for his answer.
"And he," repeated Norman, hesitating a little, as if to reflect upon a subject which had presented itself clearly before him for the first time. "Indeed I never thought of that. Of course, he loves the lady very much—who could help it! But the governor is not a demonstrative man; most people think him cold—a man of iron."
"Cold, undemonstrative, a man of iron!"