Cecilia's eyes flashed with a momentary gleam of satisfaction, and spoke of a little excursion—a walk to the Brennans, who lived two miles distant—that she had been planning for the last few days.
VII
The girls had given each other rendezvous at the gate of Dungory Castle. Lover was never more anxious to meet mistress than this little deformed girl to see her friend; and Alice could see her walking hurriedly up and down the gravel-sweep in front of the massive grey-stone lodge.
'She will see me next time she turns,' thought Alice; and immediately after Cecilia uttered a joyful cry and ran forward.
'Oh, so it is you, Alice! I am so glad! I thought you were going to disappoint me.'
'And why, dear, did you think I was going to disappoint you?' said
Alice, stooping to kiss the wan, wistful face.
'I don't know—I can't say—but I fancied something would happen;' and the great brown eyes began to melt with tears of delight. 'I had, you know, set my heart on this walk with you.'
'I am sure the pleasure is as much mine as yours; and now, whither lies our way?'
'Through the deer-park, through the oakwood, across the fields into the highroad, and then you are at the gate,'
'Won't that be too far for you?'