“If he’s badly hurt, it will get out,” said Falloden coolly.

“Well, let it alone, anyway, till we see.”

Falloden nodded—­“Barring a private friend or two.  Well, I must dress.”

When he opened the door again, Meyrick was gone.

In an unbearable fit of restlessness, Falloden went out, passed Marmion, looked into the quad which was absolutely silent and deserted, and found his way aimlessly to the Parks.

He must see Constance Bledlow, somehow, before the story reached her from other sources, and before everybody separated for the vac.  A large Nuneham party had been arranged by the Mansons for the following day in honour of the ex-Ambassador and his wife, who were prolonging their stay in Christ Church so as to enjoy the river and an Oxford without crowds or functions.  Falloden was invited, and he knew that Constance had been asked.  In his bitterness of the day before, after their quarrel in the wood, he had said to himself that he would certainly go down before the party.  Now he thought he would stay.

Suddenly, as he was walking back along the Cherwell edge of the park, under a grey sky with threatening clouds, he became aware of a lady in front of him.  Annoying or remorseful thought became in a moment excitement.  It was impossible to mistake the springing step and tall slenderness of Constance Bledlow.

He rapidly weighed the pros and cons of overtaking her.  It was most unlikely that she had yet heard of the accident.  And yet she might have seen Sorell.

He made up his mind and quickened his pace.  She heard the steps behind her and involuntarily looked round.  He saw, with a passionate delight, that she could not immediately hide the agitation with which she recognised him.

“Whither away?” he said as he took off his hat.  “Were you up as late as I?  And are balls worth their headaches?”

She was clearly surprised by the ease and gaiety of his manner, and at the same time—­he thought—­inclined to resent his interruption of her walk, before she had made up her mind in what mood, or with what aspect to meet him next.  But he gave her no time for further pondering.  He walked beside her, while she coldly explained that she had taken Nora to meet some girl friends at the Cherwell boat-house, and was now hurrying back herself to pay some calls with her aunt in the afternoon.

“What a week you have had!” he said when she paused.  “Is there anything left of you?  I saw that you stayed very late last night.”

She admitted it.

“As for me, of course, I thought the ball—­intolerable.  But that of course you know—­you must know!” he added with a sudden vehement emphasis.  “May I not even say that you intended it?  You meant to scourge me, and you succeeded.”

Constance laughed, though he perceived that her lip trembled a little.

“The scourging had, I think—­compensations.”