"I don't like any one else to take the rudder when I am in the boat," he answered, in a curt, authoritative tone.
"And suppose I wanted to have it?" asked Wanda, mischievously.
He made no reply, but stood up at once, and silently offered her his place.
The young Countess laughed.
"Oh no. It was only to see what you would say. There is no pleasure for me in the sail when I have to think of steering all the while."
Without a word, Waldemar again grasped the rudder which had been the nominal subject of dispute between him and Leo, though the real cause of their quarrel lay elsewhere.
"Where are we going?" Wanda began again, after a short pause.
"To the Beech Holm, I think. That was what we had settled."
"Won't it be rather far for to-day?" asked the girl, a little anxiously.
"With the wind in our favour we shall be there in half an hour, and if I work the oars well it will not take us much longer to get back. You wanted to see the sunset from the Beech Holm, you know."