But somehow her exuberant delight was instantly quenched, when she caught sight of the faces of the two young people. Mark looked strangely agitated and as if he had but just recovered from some all but mortal sickness. Honor, her bright, happy Honor, was as smileless and white as death.
“I have come,” said Jervis, advancing with an outstretched hand, “to say good-bye.”
“Dear, dear, dear!” waving away his salute. “You have not said, ‘How do you do?’ to me yet!”
“No, I’m afraid I am very stupid to-day. I don’t intend to have any secrets from you, Mrs. Brande.”
“Oh, I know your secret, so does every one,” nodding. “I think you might have given us a little hint.”
“You mean about the money; and I would have done so only my hands were tied.”
“And your cunning cousin never let on!”
“No, but that is not what I have to tell you——”
“Then come into the drawing-room and sit down like a Christian, and send the pony round.”
He shook his head emphatically as he said, “I can only wait a short time. I am going off now to a place forty miles away, to live with my father.”