The lad looked up grinning.
"She got divorced, didn't she?"
"I dare say. I knew very little about her. But, as I said, I don't want to be mistaken for her."
Then, tying the reins to the cart, she jumped down and stood beside him.
His hand went instinctively to the horse's mouth, holding the restive animal still.
"And I should be very much obliged to you if you would keep what you thought about me to yourself. I don't want you to talk about it in the village or anywhere. Come up and see me—at the farm—and I'll tell you why I dislike being mixed up with that woman—why, in fact, I should mind it dreadfully. I can't explain now, but—"
The young man was fairly dazzled by the beauty of the sudden flush on her pale cheeks, of her large pleading eyes, her soft voice. And this—as old Betts had only that afternoon told him—was the lady engaged to his own superior officer, Captain Ellesborough, the Commandant of Ralstone Camp, whom he heartily admired, and stood in considerable awe of! His vanity, of which he possessed so large a share, was much tickled; but, also, his feelings were touched.
"Why, of course, ma'am, won't say anything. I didn't mean any harm."
"All right," said Rachel, scrambling back to her seat. "If you like to come up to-morrow morning, I shall be pleased to see you. It's a bargain, mind!"
He saluted, smiling. She nodded to him, and drove off.