The clouds having been packed in the west that evening so as to retain the departing glare a long while, the hour had seemed much earlier than it was. But suddenly the question of time occurred to her.
“I must go back,” she said; and without further delay they set their faces towards Hintock. As they walked he examined his watch by the aid of the now strong moonlight.
“By the gods, I think I have lost my train!” said Fitzpiers.
“Dear me—whereabouts are we?” said she.
“Two miles in the direction of Sherton.”
“Then do you hasten on, Edgar. I am not in the least afraid. I recognize now the part of the wood we are in and I can find my way back quite easily. I’ll tell my father that we have made it up. I wish I had not kept our meetings so private, for it may vex him a little to know I have been seeing you. He is getting old and irritable, that was why I did not. Good-by.”
“But, as I must stay at the Earl of Wessex to-night, for I cannot possibly catch the train, I think it would be safer for you to let me take care of you.”
“But what will my father think has become of me? He does not know in the least where I am—he thinks I only went into the garden for a few minutes.”
“He will surely guess—somebody has seen me for certain. I’ll go all the way back with you to-morrow.”
“But that newly done-up place—the Earl of Wessex!”