‘Have you any more cases ready for me?’ I returned, trying to appear at my usual ease with him.  It seemed ridiculous, but I was certainly rather shy with Mr. Hamilton this afternoon.  He looked different somehow.

’If I have, you will not know them to-day.  I am not going to talk business to you this afternoon.  Tell me about your visit:  have you enjoyed yourself?  But I need not ask:  your looks answer for you.’

’I have most certainly enjoyed myself.  Aunt Philippa was so kind:  indeed, they were all good to me.  Did you hear of Jill’s accident, Mr. Hamilton?  No.  I must tell you about it, and of Mr. Tudor’s presence of mind.’  And I narrated the whole circumstance.

‘It was a marvellous escape,’ he returned thoughtfully.  ’Poor child! she might have fared badly.  Well, Miss Garston, the green velvet gown was very becoming.’

I looked up quickly, but there was no mockery in Mr. Hamilton’s smile.  He was regarding me kindly, though his tone was a little teasing.

‘I saw you in the church,’ I returned quietly.

’Yes, I suppose there is a kind of magnetism in a fixed glance.  I was looking at you, trying to identify Nurse Ursula with the elegantly-dressed woman before me, and somehow failing, when your eyes encountered mine.  Their serious disapproval most certainly recalled Nurse Ursula with a vengeance.’

He was laughing at me now, but I determined to satisfy my curiosity.

‘I was so surprised to see you there,’ I replied seriously:  ’you were so strong in your denunciations of gay weddings that your presence as a spectator at one quite startled me.  Why were you there, Mr. Hamilton?’

‘Do you want to know, really?’ still in a teasing tone.

‘Of course one always likes an answer to a question.’

‘You shall have it, Miss Garston.  I came to see that velvet gown.’

‘Nonsense!’

‘May I ask why?’

‘Well, it is nonsense; as though you came for such an absurd purpose!’ But, though I answered Mr. Hamilton in this brusque fashion, I was aware that my heart was beating rather more quickly than usual.  Did he really mean that he had come to see me?  Could such a thing be possible?  I began to wish I had never put that question.

’I either came to see the gown or the wearer:  upon my honour I hardly know which.  Perhaps you can tell me?’ But if he expected an answer to that he did not get it:  I was only meditating how I could break off this tete-a-tete without too much awkwardness.  No, I did not recognise Mr. Hamilton a bit this afternoon:  he had never talked to me after this fashion before.  I was not sure that I liked it.

’After all, I am not certain that I do not like you best in that gray one, especially after I have picked you some roses to wear with it:  something sober and quiet seems to suit Nurse Ursula better.’

’Mr. Hamilton, if you please, I do not want to talk any more about my gown.’