“And no one has made you uncomfortable?”
“No.”
“Then there is only one thing that it can be, Ailie, and you need not fear to tell me that. I always knew that if he lived I must be prepared for it, and you would not have hesitated to tell me of his death.”
“It is not that, indeed it is not, Ermine, it is only this—that I found to-day that Lady Temple’s major has the same name.”
“But you said she was come home. You must have seen him.”
“Yes, but I should not know him. I had only seen him once, remember, twelve years ago, and when I durst not look at him.”
“At least,” said Ermine, quickly, “you can tell me what you saw to-day.”
“A Scotch face, bald head, dark beard, grizzled hair.”
“Yes I am grey, and he was five years older; but he used not to have a Scotch face. Can you tell me about his eyes?”
“Dark,” I think.