“Oh, yes; they will know before anyone. Mrs. Aldington is such a dear, and so is her husband; and so, for that matter, are Arthur and Rose. Yes, whenever we come up, and wherever we settle, they will know our address at once.”
When Miss Davison rose to go, Gerard Buckland was not long in following her. He came up with her before she reached the corner of the street, and begged to be allowed to see her to the station.
But she refused, saying quite gently that she must get used to going about alone, and that it was the first step towards women’s rights.
He looked pained.
“I should have been so very grateful to you if you had let me call upon you!” he said humbly, wistfully.
Her face grew grave.
“No,” she said; “I can’t do that. The plain truth is that my mother has not yet got over a terrible change in circumstances which we’ve suffered not long ago, and she can’t bear that anyone should see us in what is practically a workman’s cottage. Prejudice again, of course, but it has to be considered.”
“May I hope for the pleasure of meeting you again at the Aldingtons?”
“Oh, yes, I’m often there. I shall be very pleased to see you again when I go there.”
She gave him her hand and he was obliged to bid her good-bye and leave her.