‘What a pretty name! I never heard it before. Is it after any one—any public character, I mean?’
‘Quite a public character,’ I returned—‘Adam’s first wife.’
‘I never heard he had two,’ she rejoined, laughing.
‘The Jews say he had. She is a demon now, and the pest of married women and their babies.’
‘What a horrible name to give your mare!’
‘The name is pretty enough. And what does it matter what the woman was, so long as she was beautiful.’
‘I don’t quite agree with you there,’ she returned, with what I chose to consider a forced laugh.
By this time her saddle was firm on Lilith, and in an instant she was mounted. Brotherton moved to ride on, and the mare followed him. Clara looked back.
‘You will catch us up in a moment,’ she said, possibly a little puzzled between us.
I was busy tightening my girths, and fumbled over the job more than was necessary. Brotherton was several yards ahead, and she was walking the mare slowly after him. I made her no answer, but mounted, and rode in the opposite direction; It was rude of course, but I did it. I could not have gone with them, and was afraid, if I told her so, she would dismount and refuse the mare.