"This is charming, Clara. Now, may I stay for a few minutes and watch the waves with you?"
"You must ask Miss Holte," said the child.
"Miss Holte, will you give me the required permission?" he inquired.
"You must ask Lady Dartelle, Sir Aubrey," she replied, "we are supposed to take our walks by ourselves."
The blush and the smile made her so attractive that without another word Sir Aubrey sat down by her side. He was careful to keep Clara in his arms lest Miss Holte should take her by the hand and retire. "How is it, Miss Holte," he said, "that I have not had the pleasure of seeing you before?"
"I do not know," she replied, "unless it is because my duties have never brought me into the part of the house where you, Sir Aubrey, happened to be."
"I knew Clara had a governess but I did not know—" that she was young and beautiful, he was about to add; but one look at the lovely face checked the words on his lips. "I did not know anything more," he said. "Are you in the habit of coming to the shore every morning?"
"Yes," said Clara, "we love the waves."
"I wish I were a wave," said Sir Aubrey, laughingly.