"Yes," replied Mr. Castlemaine, "I suppose so; but, personally, I would rather be behind a pair of good horses. I am really sorry you have to go so soon," he said, turning to Leicester. "I am very glad to have met you. I hope we shall see more of each other."
Purvis looked angrily at Leicester as he heard John Castlemaine say this, but he said nothing; he was a little afraid.
"Are you going back to London, Purvis?" asked Leicester. "If you are, I'm sure Mr. Lowry will be glad to give you a lift."
"Thank you," said Purvis; then, as an afterthought, he added, "I should like a word with Mr. Castlemaine before I go. We have all been so interested in Mr. Leicester's opinions that I had almost forgotten the errand on which I came."
For a minute Leicester was alone with Olive.
"I have to thank you for a pleasant evening, Miss Castlemaine," he said, "one of the few pleasant evenings of my life."
She looked up at him inquiringly.
"I mean what I say," he said. "While we were at dinner I told you that I had found life very interesting. I told you a lie. Why I told it I don't know. It slipped from my tongue before I realised what I was saying. I have not found life interesting, I have found it anything but that—anything. But this evening has been an oasis in the desert, and I thank you."
"I am glad you have had a pleasant evening," said Olive quietly; nevertheless she wondered how much truth there was in his words.
"You do not believe me," he said, "but what I say is perfectly true. I do not find the stage of life very interesting to act on."