I did not see Claude once, though I was with Alice for several hours. Perhaps he purposely kept out of sight, and, I must confess, I was glad, under the circumstances, not to meet him, for I felt very angry with him for his heartless neglect of his poor little wife.
I returned home by the evening train, and then came the contrast. My husband was at the station to meet me, and we drove back together to our happy home. On the way I told Howard of my visit to Alice, and of the conversation I had had with her.
He was very much interested in all I told him, and when we had talked it over for a little time, he said: "I have a letter for you in my pocket, May, which came by the evening post, and I think I have been very good not to open it, for I am most anxious to hear the news contained in it."
The letter was from Evelyn Trafford. I took it from him and opened it.
"Oh, Howard," I exclaimed, as I glanced at the contents, "I am so very glad!"
"Yes, and so am I," he said; "I know what it is about. There was a letter for me from Charlie by the same post. He has been staying at Alliston Hall for a week, and it seems to be quite settled now. How nice it will be for you to have your friend Evelyn so near. Carrington Hall is only five miles from us; you will be able to meet as often as you like."
"Evelyn is so very happy," I said, as I handed him the letter, "and she seems to have quite forgotten that she said she would never marry any one who squinted; I have no doubt now that she would agree with me, that in spite of it, Lord Moreton is a very handsome man."
"I am very glad it is so nicely arranged," said my husband. "More than one good thing came out of our journey to Palestine, little wife! Do you remember that it was my conversation with Miss Trafford near the Damascus Gate which first made her look more favourably upon poor Charlie—the 'stupid, uninteresting man!' she called him then."
As he said this we turned in at the gate, and drove through the shrubbery to the house.
How beautiful everything looked that evening! The rhododendrons, the lilacs, and the laburnums were in bloom, and the evening sunshine was streaming across the distant hills, and casting a golden light over everything.