She bent a little lower over the sketch-book, doing her uttermost not to be seen, perhaps all the more because she really did wish for the opportunity of explaining that mistake about Arden Court. Her face was almost hidden under the coquettish gray hat, as she bent over her drawing; but the gentleman came on towards her with evident purpose. It was only to make an inquiry, however.
"I am looking for a picnic party," he said. "I discovered the _debris_ of a luncheon yonder, but no human creature visible. Perhaps you can kindly tell me where the strayed revellers are to be found; you are one of them, perhaps?"
Clarissa looked up at him, blushing furiously, and very much ashamed of herself for the weakness, and then went on with her drawing in a nervous way, as she answered him,--
"Yes, I am with Lady Laura Armstrong"s party; but I really cannot tell you where to look for them all. They are roaming about in every direction, I believe."
"Good gracious me!" cried the gentleman, coming a good deal nearer--stepping hastily across the streamlet, in fact, which had divided him from Clarissa hitherto. "Have I really the pleasure of speaking to Miss Lovel? This is indeed a surprise. I scarcely expected ever to see you again."
"Nor I to see you," Clarissa answered, recovering herself a little by this time, and speaking with her accustomed frankness. "And I have been very anxious to see you again."
"Indeed!" cried the gentleman eagerly.
"In order to explain a mistake I made that night in the railway-carriage, in speaking of Arden Court. I talked of the place as if it had still belonged to papa; I did not know that he had sold it, and fancied I was going home there. It was only when I saw my uncle that I learnt the truth.
You must have thought it very strange."
"I was just a little mystified, I confess, for I had dined at the Court with Mr. Granger."
"Papa had sold the dear old place, and, disliking the idea of writing such unpleasant news, had told me nothing about the sale. It was not wise, of course; but he felt the loss of Arden so keenly, I can scarcely wonder that he could not bring himself to write about it."
"It would have been better to have spared you, though," the unknown answered gravely. "I daresay you were as fond of the old home as ever your father could have been?"
"I don"t think it would be possible for any one to love Arden better than I. But then, of course, a man is always prouder than a woman--"
"I am not so sure of that," the stranger muttered parenthetically.
"--And papa felt the degradation involved in the loss."
"I won"t admit of any degradation in the case. A gentleman is none the less a gentleman for having spent his fortune rather recklessly, and the old blood is no less pure without the old acres. If your father were a wise man, he might be happier now than he has ever been. The loss of a great estate is the loss of a bundle of cares."
"I daresay that is very good philosophy," Clarissa answered, smiling, beguiled from painful thoughts by the lightness of his tone; "but I doubt if it applies to all cases--not to papa"s, certainly."
"You were sketching, I see, when I interrupted you. I remember you told me that night of your fondness for art. May I see what you were doing?"
"It is hardly worth showing you. I was only amusing myself, sketching at random--that ivy straggling along there, or anything that caught my eye."
"But that sort of thing indicates so much. I see you have a masterly touch for so young an artist. I won"t say anything hackneyed about so fair a one; for women are showing us nowadays that there are no regions of art closed against them. Well, it is a divine amus.e.m.e.nt, and a glorious profession."
There was a little pause after this, during which Clarissa looked at her watch, and finding it nearly five o"clock, began to put up her pencils and drawing-book.
"I did not think that you knew Lady Laura Armstrong," she said; and then blushed for the speech, remembering that, as she knew absolutely nothing about himself or his belongings, the circ.u.mstance of her ignorance on this one point was by no means surprising.
"No; nor did I expect to meet you here," replied the gentleman. "And yet I might almost have done so, knowing that you lived at Arden. But, you see, it is so long since we met, and I----"
"Had naturally forgotten me."
"No, I had not forgotten you, Miss Lovel, nor would it have been natural for me to forget you. I am very glad to meet you again under such agreeable auspices. You are going to stay at the Castle a long time, I hope. I am booked for an indefinite visit."
"O no, I don"t suppose I shall stay very long. Lady Laura is extremely kind; but this is my first visit, and she must have many friends who have a greater claim upon her hospitality."
"Hale Castle is a large place, and I am sure Lady Laura has always room for agreeable guests."
"She is very, very kind. You have known her a long time, perhaps?"
"Yes. I have been intimate with the Challoners ever since I was a boy.
Lady Laura was always charming; but I think her marriage with Fred Armstrong--who worships the ground she walks on--and the possession of Hale Castle have made her absolutely perfect."
"And you know her sister, Lady Geraldine, of course?"
"O yes, I know Geraldine."
"Do you know Mr. Fairfax, the gentleman to whom she is engaged?"
"Well, yes; I am supposed to have some knowledge of that individual."
Something in his smile, and a certain significance in his tone, let in a sudden light upon Clarissa"s mind.
"I am afraid I am asking very foolish questions," she said. "You are Mr.
Fairfax?"
"Yes, I am George Fairfax. I forgot that I had omitted to tell you my name that night."
"And I had no idea that I was speaking to Mr. Fairfax. You were not expected till quite late this evening."
"No; but I found my business in London easier to manage than I had supposed it would be; so, as in duty bound, I came down here directly I found myself free. When I arrived at the Castle, I was told of this picnic, and rode off at once to join the party."
"And I am keeping you here, when you ought to be looking for your friends."
"There is no hurry. I have done my duty, and am here; that is the grand point. Shall we go and look for them together?"
"If you like. I daresay we shall be returning to the Castle very soon."
They sauntered slowly away, in and out among the trees, towards a gra.s.sy glade, where there was more open s.p.a.ce for walking, and where the afternoon sun shone warmly on the smooth turf.
"I hope you get on very well with Geraldine?" Mr. Fairfax said presently.
It was almost the same phrase Lady Laura had used about her sister.
"I have seen so little of her yet," Clarissa answered, rather embarra.s.sed by this inquiry. "I should like to know her very much; but she only arrived yesterday, and we have scarcely spoken half-a-dozen words to each other yet."
"You will hardly like her at first, perhaps," Mr. Fairfax went on, doubtfully. "People who don"t know much of her are apt to fancy her cold and proud; but to those whom she really likes she is all that is charming, and I don"t think she can fail to like you."
"You are very kind to say so. I hope she may like me. Do you know, I have been so much interested in Lady Geraldine from the first, before I saw her even--partly, perhaps, because her sister told me about her engagement. You will think that very romantic and silly, I daresay."
"Not at all; a young lady is bound to be interested in that kind of thing.
And I hope your interest in Lady Geraldine was not lessened when you did see her."
"It could scarcely be that. No one could help admiring her."