Voices and laughter came out to them from the drawing-room, where Evelyn and Denvil were carrying on their young foolishness with undiminished zeal; and Desmond turned upon the girl the irresistible friendliness of his eyes.
"You enjoyed yourself, I hope,—Miss Meredith?"
"Immensely, thank you,—Captain Desmond."
Her tone was a deliberate echo of his; and their eyes met in mutual laughter.
"Aren't we good friends enough now to drop the formality?" he asked. And at the question a lightning vision came to her of the scene on the hillside, so vividly described by his friend.
"Yes—I think—we are," she said slowly.
"That's right. I think so too."
"I seem to have made quite an advance in that direction this afternoon," she added, in no little surprise at her own boldness.
"How's that? Paul?"
"Yes."