"Very much altered of late. First-rate fellow, but—yes, certainly devilish proud. Beg pardon, Toney, my language is not quite choice enough for an heiress."
"There you are at it! Heiress! Uncle, I shall go up with you to town and see Mr. Staines on business, and come back in the evening. I shall want a rest after the wedding."
"And come back alone! Not quite the thing!"
"The thing!" repeated Toney scornfully, and ran away.
Everybody was kept going that day. Toney's untiring energy made Mr. Russell think seriously of resigning his post, and he was glad to see her starting off alone in the motor at half-past six. She was going to meet the bridegroom, and in her heart Toney hoped to say a real good-bye to Lewis Waycott, but the fates were all against her, for the express came panting in before the dog-cart dashed up, and Lewis only had time to jump in, leaving his luggage to follow. Toney caught sight of a flying vision of him, and he did not even see her—— She stood quite still as the train rushed out of the station. A feeling as if the sun had gone out of the sky, and as if life were not worth living came upon her, then a great contraction in her throat—a feeling of numbness all over her.
She had to wait for the 7.10. She must pull herself together. What did this mean? Why had Lewis been so—unkind? He might have just come to say "Good-bye, Toney, I'll not forget you among the lions"—or words to that effect. He might have just given her one of his kind, jolly looks, which made one trust him with everything, he might even have smiled a little scoffingly as he did over some of her plans!—— He had done none of these things, simply, he had gone away as any stranger might have departed.
"Lewis, Lewis, Lewis," she repeated to herself though to his face she always said "Mr. Waycott." Then something strange happened. She walked into the first-class waiting-room which was deserted and looked at herself in the glass. "Toney," she said, "Toney I—do believe—you are a downright—horrid girl—I do believe—gracious stars! I believe you are—no." She shook herself like a Newfoundland dog just come out of the water. "I won't be—so horrid. What would Pups have said? To care so awfully for someone else's lover! Oh, Pups! I never guessed it till now." A tearless sob shook her, but at that moment the 7.10 steamed in and Toney had to dart out to meet the genius. Never in all her life had she made such an effort to call up a smile, but of course Frank Weston must be received properly!
"Oh, Mr. Weston, there you are! I've told Jim to call for the luggage. Come into the motor at once. So sorry it's only me, but Jeanie isn't here. I think the puss—I mean Mrs. Hamilton—didn't like her coming. Sort of not proper to be seen in public. Odd, isn't it? But she knows I'm looking after you."
Frank Weston was smiling all over his face.
"I told her not to come," he said. "She might catch cold, and besides she says she is very busy, and Maud is overworked."