‘It is her husband, to whom she writes every morning. He is a captain in the army, or was. He is in Norway, fishing.’
‘Then the probability is, that the English officer continues his military studies.’
‘Do you not think her handsome, Mr. Durance?’
‘Ned may boast of his possession, when he has trimmed it and toned it a little!
‘She is different, if you are alone with her.’
‘It is not unusual,’ said Colney.
At eleven o’clock he was in London, and Nesta rode beside Mrs. Marsett amid the troop.
A South-easterly wind blew the waters to shifty goldleaf prints of brilliance under the sun.
‘I took a liberty this morning, I called you “Dear” this morning,’ the lady said. ‘It’s what I feel, only I have no right to blurt out everything I feel, and I was ashamed. I am sure I must have appeared ridiculous. I got quite nervous.’
‘You would not be ridiculous to me.’