"Of course," he said, "you can stop me touching you. But it makes no difference. I shall go on caring for you. It's no use struggling and crying against that."
"I shall go on struggling."
"Go on as long as you like. It doesn't matter. I can wait."
She rose. "Come," she said. "It's time to be going back."
He obeyed her. When they reached the rise on the station road they turned and waited for the others to come up with them. They looked back. Their hill was on their left, to their right was the great plain, grey with mist. They stood silent, oppressed by their sense of a sad and sudden beauty. Then with the others they swung down the road to the station.
Before the end of the day Brodrick heard that his offer was accepted.
XXVIII
It was Tanqueray who took Laura home that night. Prothero parted from her at the station and walked southwards with Nina Lempriere.
"Why didn't you go with her?" she said.