"You knew it was me," said Piers rather curtly.
He dropped from the saddle with the easy grace that always marked his movements, and came to her, leaving the animal free.
"Why were you running away from me?" he said. "Did you want to cut me?"
He must have felt the trembling of her hand, for all in a moment his manner changed. His fingers closed upon hers with warm assurance. He suddenly laughed into her face.
"Don't answer either of those questions!" he said. "Didn't you expect to see me? We came home yesterday, thank the gods! I'm deadly sick of being away."
"Haven't you enjoyed yourself?" Avery managed to ask.
He laughed again somewhat grimly. "I wasn't out for enjoyment. I've been—amusing myself more or less. But that's not the same thing, is it? I should have drowned myself if I'd stayed out there much longer."
"Don't talk nonsense!" said Avery.
She spoke with a touch of sharpness. Her agitation had passed leaving her vexed with herself and with him.
He received the admonition with a grimace. "Have you heard about my engagement yet?" he enquired irrelevantly, after a moment.