Alice made a movement as if to comply, but, stepping under the banisters, Lord Dungory said:
'Alice cannot come now, she is going out to walk with us, dear. She will see you afterwards.'
'Oh! let me go to her,' Alice cried.
'There will be plenty of time to see her later on,' whispered Mrs.
Barton. 'Remember what you promised me; 'and she pointed to Captain
Hibbert, who was standing on the steps of the house, his wide decorative
shoulders defined against a piece of grey sky.
In despair at her own helplessness, and with a feeling of loathing so strong that it seemed like physical sickness, Alice went forward and entered into conversation with Captain Hibbert. Lord Dungory, Mrs. Barton, and Olive walked together; Lady Jane and Lady Sarah followed at a little distance. In this order the party proceeded down the avenue as far as the first gate; then they returned by a side-walk leading through the laurels, and stood in a line facing the wind-worn tennis-ground, with its black, flowerless beds, and bleak vases of alabaster and stone. From time to time remarks anent the Land League were made; but all knew that a drama even as important as that of rent was being enacted. Olive had joined her sister, and the girls moved forward on either side of the handsome Captain; and, as a couple of shepherds directing the movements of their flock, Lord Dungory and Mrs. Barton stood watching. Suddenly her eyes met Lady Jane's. The glance exchanged was tempered in the hate of years; it was vindictive, cruel, terrible; it shone as menacingly as if the women had drawn daggers from their skirts, and Jane, obeying a sudden impulse, broke away from her sister, and called to Captain Hibbert. Fortunately he did not hear her, and, before she could speak again, Lord Dungory said:
'Jane, now, Jane, I beg of you—'
Mrs. Barton smiled a sweet smile of reply, and whispered to herself:
'Do that again, my lady, and you won't have a penny to spend this year.'
'And now, dear, tell me, I want to hear all about it,' said Mrs. Barton, as the carriage left the steps of Dungory Castle. 'What did he say?'
'Oh! mamma, mamma, I am afraid I have broken his heart,' replied Olive dolorously.