“Dearest, dearest, dearest,” he sighed, when that long kiss had sealed the bond; and then they sat in silence, hand clasped in hand, in the face of the Sussex Weald, and the far-reaching Sussex Downs, and the silvery shimmer of the distant sea.
Oh, Easter Day of deep content! Would either of these two souls ever know such perfect bliss again—the bliss of loving and being loved, while love was still a new thing?
A shrill long cooey broke the silent spell, and they both started up as if awakened out of deepest slumber.
“They are looking for us,” cried Eve, as she walked swiftly towards the other side of the ridge.
Tivett and the four girls came toiling towards her.
“Mr. Tivett has taken us a most awful round,” cried Hetty. “He pretended to know the way, and he doesn’t know it one little bit.”
“My dear young lady,” apologized the gentle Tivett, “the truth of the matter is that I trusted to my natural genius for topography, for I have never been on Bexley Hill before.”
“And you pretended to pilot us, and have only led us astray.”
“Alas! sweet child, the world is full of such pilots.”
“Shall I tell them?” whispered Vansittart, at Eve’s ear.