"I saw you as I was bringing the sheep down Burton ghyll," he said.
"Then you must have good eyes," Grace remarked. "It's a long way, and I don't wear conspicuous clothes."
Kit laughed. "I'd have known you much farther off. There's nobody in the dale who walks like you."
Grace gave him a quiet glance that he met without embarrassment. She saw that he had not meant to offer her a cheap compliment; yet the compliment was justified. A dancing master had told her that she walked and carried herself well.
"But where are the sheep?" she asked.
"I left them in the field at the beckfoot," he answered with a touch of awkwardness. "We can bring them down afterwards; I remembered I wanted something at Allerby."
Grace turned her head to hide a smile. It was obvious that he had remembered he wanted to go to Allerby when he saw her.
"Oh, well," she said, "I am going part of the way. However, I mustn't stop you if you want to get back to the sheep."
"It isn't at all important," Kit declared. Then he paused and Grace thought he was studying his old and rather muddy clothes. "But, of course," he resumed, "it's possible you'd sooner go on alone."
She laughed. "Don't be ridiculous, Mr. Askew! I think you know what I mean. I didn't want to keep you from your work."