"She's waking up now. She's beginning to understand that perhaps she hasn't taken the right attitude toward your father; and I think she'd like to begin. It was to work that problem out that she decided to come away with me and live simply for a while. . . . She wanted to escape from every one, and I was the nearest to no one she could find to take with her; and so— If your sisters or your brother ask you any questions I wish you would tell them that."
We discussed this theme in its various aspects while the afternoon light turned the pine trunks round us into columns of red-gold, and a soft wind soothed us with balsamic smells. Birds flitted and fluted overhead, and now and then a squirrel darted up to challenge us with the peak of its inquisitive sharp little nose. I chose what I thought a favorable moment to bring before Hugh the matter that had been so summarily shelved by his father. I wanted so much to be married among my own people and from what I could call my own home.
His child-like, wide-apart, small blue eyes regarded me with growing astonishment as I made my point clear.
"For Heaven's sake, my sweet little Alix, what do you want that for? Why, we can be married in Newport!"
His emphasis on the word Newport was as if he had said Heaven.
"Yes; but you see, Hugh, darling, Newport means nothing to me—"
"It will jolly well have to if—"
"And my home means such a lot. If you were marrying Lady Cissie Boscobel you'd certainly go to Goldborough for the occasion."
"Ah, but that would be different!"
"Different in what way?"