But when at last his hold relaxed, when he had made her pay, she took his hand and pressed a deep, deep kiss into his palm.  “That is—­a free gift, Dicky,” she said.  “And it is worth more than all the having and holding in the world.”

CHAPTER II

FRIENDSHIP

It was on a misty evening of autumn that Vera Fielding entered her husband’s house once more like a bride returning from her wedding-trip.  There was something of the petted air of a bride about her as she came in on the squire’s arm throwing her greetings right and left to the assembled servants, and certainly there was in her eyes more of the shining happiness of a bride than they had ever held before.  Her face was flushed with a pretty eagerness, and the petulant lines about her mouth were far less apparent than of old.  Her laugh had a gay spontaneous ring, and though her voice still had a slightly arrogant inflection it was not without softer notes when she addressed the squire.

“I feel as if we had been away for years and years,” she said to him, as they stood together before the blazing fire in the drawing-room.  “Isn’t it strange, Edward?  Only three months in reality, and such a difference!”

He was lifting the heavy coat from her shoulders, but she turned with it impulsively and caught him round the neck.

“My dear!” he said, and clasped her coat and all.

“It is going to last, isn’t it?” she said, her breath coming quickly.  “You promised—­you promised—­to love me just as much if I got well!”

He kissed her with reassuring tenderness.  “Yes, my girl, yes!  It’s going to last all right.  We’re going to make a happy home of it, you and I.”

She clung to him for a few seconds, then broke away with a little laugh.  “You’ll have to hunt this winter, Edward.  You’re getting stout.”

“And shoot too,” said the squire.  “There promises to be plenty of birds.  We’d better have a party if you feel up to it.”

She looked at him with kindling eyes.  “I’m up to anything.  I should love it.  Do you think Lord Saltash would come?”

“We must certainly ask him,” said, the squire.  “But you’re not to work too hard, mind!  That’s an order.  Let people look after themselves’”

“I’ll get Juliet to come and help me,” she said.  “She must have lots of spare time.  By the way, they’ll be here to dine in another hour.  I must go and dress.”

“Have some tea first!” he said.  “They won’t mind waiting.”

She slipped her hand through his arm.  “Come and have it upstairs!  It really is late.  We’ll have a cosy time together afterwards—­when they’re gone.”

He smiled upon her indulgently.  They had grown very near to one another during their cruise in the Night Moth.  To him also their home-coming held something of bridal gladness.  He had never seen her so glowing with happiness before.  The love that shone in her eyes whenever they met his own stirred him to the depths.  He had never deemed her capable of such affection in the old days.  It had changed his whole world.