TheycametoCorstalHillandhewalkedthehorse.
“Justlookbehindyou,”hesaid,inanundertone.“Noticeanything?”
“What?”
“LookatParke’shat.”Parkewasthefootman.
Bertha,lookingagain,observedacockade.
“Whatd’youthinkofthat,eh?”Edwardwasalmostexplodingwithlaughter.“IwaselectedchairmanoftheUrbanDistrictCouncilyesterdaythatmeansI’mex-officioJ.P.So,assoonasIheardyouwerecoming,Iboltedoffandgotacockade.”
WhentheyreachedCourtLeys,hehelpedBerthaoutofthetrapquitetenderly.Shewastakenabacktofindtheteaready,flowersinthedrawing-room,andeverythingpossibledonetomakehercomfortable.
“Areyoutired?”askedEdward.“LiedownonthesofaandI’llgiveyouyourtea.”
Hewaitedonherandpressedhertoeat,andwas,infact,unceasinginhisattentions.
“ByJove,Iamgladtoseeyouhereagain.”
Hispleasurewasobvious,andBerthawassomewhattouched.
“Areyoutootiredtocomeforalittlewalkinthegarden?IwanttoshowwhatI’vedoneforyou,andjustnowtheplaceislookingitsbest.”
Heputashawlroundhershoulders,sothattheeveningairmightnothurther,andinsistedongivingherhisarm.
“Now,lookhereI’veplantedrose-treesoutsidethedrawing-roomwindowIthoughtyou’dliketoseethemwhenyousatinyourfavouriteplace,reading.”
Hetookherfarther,toaplacewhichofferedafineprospectofthesea.
“I’veputabenchhere,betweenthosetwotrees,sothatyoumightsitdownsometimes,andlookattheview.”
“It’sverykindofyoutobesothoughtful.Shallwesittherenow?”
“Oh,Ithinkyou’dbetternot.There’sagooddealofdew,andIdon’twantyoutocatchcold.”
FordinnerEdwardhadorderedthedisheswhichheknewBerthapreferred,andhelaughedjoyously,assheexpressedherpleasure.Afterwardswhenshelayonthesofa,hearrangedthecushionssoastomakeherquiteeasy.
“Ah,mydear,”shethought,“ifyou’dbeenhalfaskindthreeyearsagoyoumighthavekeptmylove.”
Shewonderedwhetherabsencehadincreasedhisaffection,orwhetheritwasshewhohadal