He didn't want to speak to me, then? I was left to follow with my chum's fiancé.
Colonel Fielding was remarkably nice and friendly to me for the whole of that walk. I seemed to have reached a stage when men became unsentimental and excellent friends with me. Was it, I wondered gloomily, because none of them ever fell in love with me any more? And as I chatted to Colonel Fielding of the "delightfulness" of the afternoon we'd just spent, I thought with a rueful little sigh of one young man who had been (presumably) a little sentimental about me.
Mr. Richard Wynn, who'd written to ask me to marry him! because he had liked the child I had been, seven years ago. What must he have thought of me for never even answering his letter...!
I didn't often remember that shadowy suitor. I forgot him again as I said to Colonel Fielding, walking beside me, "How sweetly pretty Miss Elvey was looking!"
He looked mischievous and said: "Are you still afraid she'll make me faithless to Elizabeth?"
"My good young man, I don't think she'll try."
"Oh, no! She'd never want to," he agreed serenely. "It never was me the young lady was anxious to marry. I know who it is all right."
I looked at him eagerly. At last I was going to get a little light on the subject! At last I was going to hear another opinion about whether Muriel meant in the long run to say "Yes" or "No" to Captain Holiday.
I nodded towards his distant back as it turned a corner of the lane in front of us. I suggested to his friend "You mean——?"
"Er——of course."