He sat down in a quiet despair that she would urge him so. A long argument followed between them, and at last she wore him down. She dared say nothing more of the Commissionership; but he promised her to come to England some time in the following winter; and with that she had to be content.
Then she gave him breakfast. During their conversation, which Elizabeth guided as far as possible to indifferent topics, the name of Mariette was mentioned. He was still, it seemed, at Vancouver. Elizabeth gave Anderson a sudden look, and casually, without his noticing, she possessed herself of the name of Mariette's hotel.
At breakfast also she described, with a smile and sigh, her brother's first and last attempt to shoot wild goat in the Rockies, an expedition which had ended in a wetting and a chill--"luckily nothing much; but poor Philip won't be out of his room to-day."
"I will go and see him," said Anderson, rising.
Elizabeth looked up, her colour fluttering.
"Mr. Anderson, Philip is only a boy, and sometimes a foolish boy--"
"I understand," said Anderson quietly, after a moment. "Philip thinks his sister has been running risks. Who warned him?"
Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders without replying. He saw a touch of scorn in her face that was new to him.
"I think I guess," he said. "Why not? It was the natural thing. So Mr. Delaine is still here?"
"Till to-morrow."