Mr. Haveloc looked at his watch, and could not distinguish the figures.
Margaret thought she could see better. He held the watch to her--she pored over it in vain.
"You must guess it now, Mr. Haveloc."
"Mr. Grey is not very particular," said Mr. Haveloc, "I think I may venture."
They walked on to the end of the terrace.
"Do you recollect one day when I kept the dinner waiting," said Mr.
Haveloc.
"Oh, yes! I remember," said Margaret with a sigh--it was the day that had begun her troubles with Hubert Gage. "Mr. Cas.e.m.e.nt was so cross because he could not fathom your business with Mr. Grey."
"What a long deliverance we have had from the old monster," said Mr.
Haveloc.
"Oh, yes! I was so glad when--" Margaret stopped short.
"When he was laid up with the rheumatism," added Mr. Haveloc, laughing.
"Oh, no! not exactly. One ought not to be glad of that; but really, I think I rejoiced that anything kept him out of the way."
"Gessina is growing quite fat," said Mr. Haveloc, as the beautiful creature bounded towards them.
"Stop! I am going to carry her," said Margaret stooping down.
"Cannot you trust me to do that?" asked Mr. Haveloc.
"No; because I am going to wrap her in a corner of my shawl."
"Stay, do not give her too much," said Mr. Haveloc, a.s.sisting in the distribution of the shawl, "you must take care of yourself, in the evening air."
"She has had so much running about to-day," said Margaret.
"Yes, I saw you taking her out to exercise this morning, before breakfast."
"Did you? When we were on the lawn?"
"Yes, with that Indian-rubber ball you made her a present of."
"You laugh, but it is a capital ball for Gessina to play with."
"I thought Gessina and her mistress both seemed to enjoy it very much."
"I did not know you were up then, Mr. Haveloc."
"I had not left my room, I confess."
"How very idle!"
"Oh, it was! but then I had been sitting up half the night."
"What a strange fancy of yours."
"I was writing letters."
"What! with all the day before you?"
"I like to spend the day in your company."
Here a low growl that seemed hardly human, made both start violently.
Margaret dropped Gessina. Mr. Haveloc turned sharply round.
"Ugh! little woman; are you going to give us tea to-night?" growled Mr.
Cas.e.m.e.nt.
"Oh, dear yes, Sir. I declare I did not know what time it was," said Margaret hastily.
"There is not the slightest hurry," said Mr. Haveloc detaining Margaret by the hand, "there can be no possible occasion for you to make tea before the usual time."
Margaret looked up in deprecation of his contemptuous tone. Mr. Cas.e.m.e.nt turned to hobble back to the house.
"Ugh, sweethearts!" he grumbled, as he left them.
Margaret blushed crimson. Mr. Haveloc still holding her hand, walking slowly and silently in the same direction. At last, in that calm voice which in people of impatient temper always marks strong emotion, he said:--
"He is right Margaret--I love you!"
Margaret was excessively agitated--she trembled violently; but the transparent candour of her nature did not now desert her. In a faltering tone she replied: "I thought so."
"Come along, little woman," said Mr. Cas.e.m.e.nt as Margaret stepped in at the window. "It is well I am come among you again. Poor uncle is laid on the shelf now; that"s very plain."
"Did I keep you waiting, uncle?" said Margaret softly as she took her place before the urn.
"No, my love, never mind what he says. You know his ways by this time."
"Come, sit down, youngster, and don"t make a fuss. Take it easy," said Mr. Cas.e.m.e.nt addressing Mr. Haveloc, who was behind Margaret"s chair.
Margaret ventured to cast an imploring glance at Mr. Haveloc, who regarded Mr. Cas.e.m.e.nt as if he should like to reduce him to ashes; but being unprovided with any apparatus for this ceremony, he sat down beside Margaret, without making any reply.
It seemed as if Mr. Cas.e.m.e.nt would never go that evening. He wrangled through one game of piquet after another; at last he got up. "Well, good night Master Grey," he said, "if you are blind-folded, I am not. Those young ones have been muttering at the window there, ever since we sat down to cards."
"What is it Claude?" asked Mr. Grey, as soon as Mr. Cas.e.m.e.nt had gone.
Mr. Haveloc told him what it was. Margaret laid her head on her uncle"s shoulder--he put his arm round her waist. "Well then, Claude," he said, "your best plan is to set off to-morrow morning; the sooner you go, the sooner you will come back."
Margaret looked up with a face suddenly blanched even to her lips.
"What--go away--leave me, uncle?" she said. Her voice failed her; almost her breath; she had not believed it possible that they should ever be parted.