The memory of Mr. Hazlewood's visit was soon lost in the celebration of their anniversary month. As they had promised themselves in Summer, they went on moonlit expeditions to gather mushrooms; and at the waning of the moon they rose early on many milkwhite dawns instead, when the mushrooms at such an hour were veritably the spoil of dew, gleaming in their baskets under veils of gossamer. On these serene mornings the sound of autumnal birdsong came to them out of misted trees, so that they used to talk of the woods in the next Springtime, themselves moving about the wan vapours with that very air of people who scarcely live in the present. There was in this plaintive music of robins and thrushes a regret for the days of Summer spent together that were now passed away, and yet a more robust melody might have affronted the wistful air of these milkwhite dawns. The frail notes of the birds hinted at silence beyond, and through the opalescent and transuming landscape Guy and Pauline floated in fancy once more down the young Thames from Ladingford. The sad stillness of the year's surrender to decline admonished them to garner these hours, making a ghost even of the sun as if to warn them of the fleeting world, the covetous and furtive world. They wonderfully enjoyed these hours, but Pauline when at breakfast the mushrooms came fizzling to the table could never believe that she had been with Guy, and she used often to be discontented on being reminded by her mother of how much of the day she had already spent in his company. Looking back at these immaterial mornings of autumnal mist, she saw them upon the confines of sleep: silvery spaces they seemed that were not robbed from any familiar time.
There was during all this month a certain amount of congratulation which had to be endured, and Margaret was angry one day because Mr. and Mrs. Ford came over from Little Fairfield and alluded at tea to their hope of Richard and her soon being engaged. Pauline was naturally subject to the inquisitiveness of everybody, but as she could not without being absent-minded talk about anything except Guy, she found the general curiosity not very troublesome. Guy, however, resented this atmosphere of enquiry and was always more and more anxious to carry her out of reach of Wychford gossip.
One day in mid-October they had set out together with the intention of taking a long walk to the open upland country on the other side of the town, when, as they were going up High Street, they saw two of the local chatterboxes.
"I will not stop and talk to Mrs. Brydone and Mrs. Willsher," Guy grumbled. "Let's cut up Abbey Lane."
They turned aside and were making their way to the path that led under the Abbey wall to the high road, when they saw Dr. Brydone and his son coming from that direction.
"Really, there's a conspiracy of Brydones to waylay us this afternoon," Guy exclaimed petulantly. "We shall have to go through the Abbey grounds."
Pauline had passed the wicket, which he had impulsively flung open, before she realized the violation of one of her agelong rules.
"It's really rather jolly in here to-day," said Guy. "I think we're duffers not to come more often, you know."
The autumn wind was booming round the plantation, and sweeping up the broad path down the hillside with a skelter of leaves that gave a wild gaiety to the usually tristful scene.
"Why shouldn't we explore inside?" suggested Guy. "There's something so exhilarating about this great West wind. Almost one could fancy it might blow away that ghost of a house."