"My dear Fanny, that was an act of the highest moral——"
"Don't talk to me about your highest moral anything. I know what it was."
"Besides, she didn't take him from Nora," she went on, ignoring her previous line of argument. "He took himself. He was getting tired of her."
"Well," said Straker, "he isn't tired of Miss Milner."
"She's taken him off there," said Fanny. She nodded gloomily toward the Amberley woods.
Straker smiled. He was looking westward over the shining fields where he had once walked with Philippa. Already they were returning. Furnival had not allowed himself to be taken very far. As they approached Straker saw that Philippa was pouring herself out at Furnival and that Furnival was not absorbing any of it; he was absorbed in his Idea. His Idea had made him absolutely impervious to Philippa. All this Straker saw.
He made himself very attentive to Miss Tarrant that evening, and after dinner, at her request, he walked with her on the terrace. Over the low wall they could see Furnival in the rose garden with Miss Milner. They saw him give her a rose, which the young girl pinned in the bosom of her gown.
"Aren't they wonderful?" said Philippa. "Did you ever see anything under heaven so young?"
"She is older than he is," said Straker.
"Do you remember when he wanted to give me one and I wouldn't take it?"