His tone was absolutely polite, at the same time the Countess had seldom felt less happy. He was so small, and so good-tempered over it all! She certainly felt rather like a "full-sized idiot"!
The dinghy was secured, Hughie fixing the anchor between two rocks.
The whole valley was wrapped in thick grey haze, but there was no light. The east being behind the high Downs made morning late in Bell Bay.
The Countess looked on at Hughie's efforts; then she said, almost against her will:
"You are very wet."
"Well, one is when one's been in the sea; you can't help it."
The girl coloured, but she pursued amicable tactics.
"I hope you will not catch cold."
"Oh, thanks," said Hughie, and he looked at her so expressively that she could not fail to remember it was her fault that he was wet.
"You'd better come through our garden," he went on; "it's shorter. I expect you know the way all right."