And then suddenly from the courtyard they heard a child’s voice. Sybil flushed and looked at Miss Mason with pleading eyes.
“I’ll bring her,” said Barnabas. Wisdom or not, he could not have resisted Sybil’s face.
“We’ve found a flat, really and truly,” she cried, as she met Barnabas in the garden. “It is beautiful, but quite beautiful.”
“More beautiful than the others?” laughed Barnabas. “But come in now and behave pretty. Aunt Olive has a lady to tea with her.”
Pippa came into the room. Her extraordinary likeness to Kostolitz made Sybil catch her breath. For a moment she did not trust herself to speak.
“Ah!” cried Pippa, with quick recognition. “It is ze lady of ze car. Did you give her ze ring?”
Sybil held out her hand. “Yes, dear,” she said, “I’ve got it. I’m glad you found it and kept it for me.” She held the child’s hand tight. Pippa looked at her with her great grey eyes, so like the dead sculptor’s. Memories rushed over Sybil. The days in the forest, the days in the little Welsh village crowded back to her mind. She could almost hear Kostolitz’s voice, hear his gay laugh, and his words of passionate love. Her throat contracted and tears filled her eyes. Suddenly she got up.
“I’d better go now,” she said. Her voice shook a little. Then an impulse moved her. She held out the ring to Pippa. “Will you have it?” she said. “I’d like you to keep it.”
“For me?” said Pippa, her face crimson.
“May she?” said Sybil to Miss Mason.