Katharine Morrell sat in a sheltered nook in the Deanery garden, all flooded with the mellow sunshine of an April afternoon.
The trim, box-edged garden beds were gay with spring flowers, and the air was full of the song of birds and of the faint, sweet, sleepy scent of the poplar.
Before her the great grey cathedral reared its mighty pile against a sky of pale, pure blue, relieved by clouds of fleecy whiteness. Pigeons were sunning themselves here and there on some projecting buttress, or in some quaintly-carved niche. The whole world seemed full of peace and hope and life renewed.
Katharine’s hat was on the grass beside her, and the soft spring breeze lightly stirred the fair hair on her smooth, white brow, and brought a touch of pure rose colour to her fair face.
On her knee there lay an opened letter in Sydney’s hand-writing. She took it up and read the last page through again.
“It is so good to see St. Quentin walk across the room, even though still leaning on a stick. Dr. Lorry says he is making a most marvellous recovery, and Sir Anthony, who has been down to the Castle twice since the operation, is delighted with him. Sir Anthony said several ever such nice things about Hugh; I wish father could have heard him. He would have been so pleased.
“St. Quentin actually went yesterday to see that poor man Duncombe, who has come down here to live with his mother. He is to do light work in the gardens as soon as he is strong enough. He was so pleased to see St. Quentin, and he could not say enough about Hugh’s kindness to him while he was at the Blue-friars Hospital. He seems a nice man, and is terribly sorry for all the harm which he has done St. Quentin, though St. Quentin tells him ‘not to think about it any more.’
“This morning we have been to call upon the Vicar. St. Quentin walked all round the Vicarage garden to look at Mr. Seaton’s hyacinths, and was not over-tired. Doesn’t that sound like being really better?
“He talks of driving in to Donisbro’ to thank the Dean for his kind enquiries.”
It was this last sentence that Katharine read again and again, with a light in her eyes and a flush upon her cheek.