It was twenty minutes past, and no parson had arrived. Swithin took her hand.
‘If it cannot be to-day, it can be to-morrow,’ he whispered.
‘I cannot say,’ she answered. ‘Something tells me no.’
It was almost impossible that she could know anything of the deterrent force exercised on Swithin by his dead uncle that morning. Yet her manner tallied so curiously well with such knowledge that he was struck by it, and remained silent.
‘You have a black tie,’ she continued, looking at him.
‘Yes,’ replied Swithin. ‘I bought it on my way here.’
‘Why could it not have been less sombre in colour?’
‘My great-uncle is dead.’
‘You had a great-uncle? You never told me.’
‘I never saw him in my life. I have only heard about him since his death.’