"Let me see," he said; "it must be fifteen years. I recognised you at once."
She regarded him more kindly, and gave him a faint smile; "I shouldn't have thought you would."
"How's that? I'm not short-sighted. Do you know, I was thinking about you yesterday; hoped I should meet you—and here you are. I haven't been in Brighton since the last time I saw you."
"Haven't you really?"
"No; it's funny, isn't it? I've often been coming—for the week-end, or a concert, but something has always turned up to prevent me. Well, this is first-rate! Were you at the Dome last night?"
"No," she said, "I couldn't go; I was sorry. I heard you in Liverpool once. Let me congratulate you—though I suppose you get such a lot of congratulations that you don't care much about them any more?"
"You can bet I care for yours," he said. "Have you been living here all the time?"
"Oh no; I left here when I married; I only came back after my loss." Her tone was bitter.
"I saw," said Lee, "I saw by your dress that——Is it long since you were left a widow?"
"Twelve months. My home was in Liverpool while my poor husband was alive. Why, you used to know him, Mr. Lee! Yes, of course you did. That summer as children we were all together. How strange! I'm not sure if you met him afterwards? I wonder if you can remember 'Reggy Harris'?"