He started for his walk at the same hour as on the evening before. There was frost in the air, and already the stars were bright. As he drew near to Wanley, the road was deserted; his footfall was loud on the hard earth. The moon began to show her face over the dark top of Stanbury Hill, and presently he saw by the clear rays that the figure of a woman was a few yards ahead of him; he was overtaking her. As he drew near to her, she turned her head. He knew her at once, for it was Letty Tew. He had been used to meet Letty often at the Walthams’.
Evidently he was himself recognised; the girl swerved a little, as if to let him pass, and kept her head bent. He obeyed an impulse and spoke to her.
‘I am afraid you have forgotten me, Miss Tew. Yet I don’t like to pass you without saying a word.’
‘I thought it was—the light makes it difficult—’ Letty murmured, sadly embarrassed.
‘But the moon is beautiful.’
‘Very beautiful.’
They regarded it together. Letty could not help glancing at her companion, and as he did not turn his face she examined him for a moment or two.
‘I am going to see my friend Mr. Wyvern,’ Hubert proceeded.
A few more remarks of the kind were exchanged, Letty by degrees summoning a cold confidence; then Hubert said—
‘I have here a book which belongs to Miss Waltham. She lent it to me a year ago, and I wish to return it. Dare I ask you to put it into her hands?’