“It looked like it certainly,” said Sir Herbert, from behind his newspaper. He was a grave, somewhat matter-of-fact man as a rule, but Cicely, who sat next him, fancied that she discerned a twinkle of amusement in his eyes, as he answered Amiel’s appeal.
“Yes,” she repeated, “I made myself very nice to him. He is coming to call, and he was very sorry—really distressed—at our having stayed in for him so many days.”
“Amy,” exclaimed Cicely, in a tone of genuine vexation, “you didn’t really say that?”
“Of course not, you silly child, I am only teasing you,” replied Amy, at the same time, however, throwing unperceived by her sister a triumphant glance across the table at her husband. “Seriously, Cicely, I like him very much, and he is coming to see us some day soon. I had no idea he was a man of such position and note as he is. Herbert tells me he is considered one of the most rising men of the day—among scientific people I mean.”
“Yes,” said Sir Herbert, “he is a very clever and original man. He is now known to have been the author of a series of papers in the ‘Six-weekly,’ which made quite a sensation a few months ago. Your Sothernbay doctor has awakened to find himself famous, Cicely.”
“I did not know it,” she replied simply. “I knew he was clever and very hard-working, but I did not know he had already reached any recognised position.”
“The meeting him at the H.’s shows what he is in itself,” said Sir Herbert. Then he returned to his paper, and no more was said about Mr. Guildford.
But a good deal was thought about him. Amiel’s head was full of him, and the discovery which she believed she had made.
“Herbert,” she had said to her husband the instant they were alone in the carriage on their way home the evening before, “Herbert, I know now what is the matter with Cicely. I know why she has grown so silent, and as if she could not feel interested in anything. She does care for him, and she thinks he doesn’t care for her.”
“My dear child, what are you talking about?” exclaimed poor Sir Herbert. “Cicely does care for whom?”