“What an amusing world it is.”
He moved a little restlessly.
“I want to get away from that. Let’s walk through the plantations. I can’t keep still to-day. I want to see you everywhere, to realise you everywhere.”
They wandered off together, walking a little apart. All about them rose the young trees, cedars, cypresses, junipers, yews, pines, glimmering in the June sunlight and sending out faint, balsamic perfumes. Men were hoeing the alleys between the maples and limes, their hoes flashing when a beam of sunlight struck through the foliage of the young trees.
Canterton stopped and spoke to the men. Also he spoke to Eve as to a partner and a fellow-expert who understood.
“Do you think we make enough use of maples in England?”
“Isn’t there a doubt about some of them colouring well over here?”
“They give us a very fair show. The spring tints are almost as good as the autumn ones in some cases. I want to see what you think of a new philadelphus I have over here.”
They walked on, and when their eyes met again hers smiled into his.
“Thank you for that seriousness.”