‘Oh yes, sometimes, when the Calverleys are at the Hall,’ he returned, rather absently.

‘Pemberley is a very pretty place,’ I went on, stopping to pick a little piece of sweet-brier that attracted me by its sweetness:  ’it is very pleasant to walk there through the Redstone lanes.  There is a fine view over the down, and at four o’clock, for example—­’

‘What about four o’clock?’ he demanded:  and now there was a little excitement in his manner.

’Well, if you should by chance be in one of the Redstone lanes about then, you might possibly see an open barouche with two ladies in it.’

‘Ursula, you are a darling!’ And Max seized my wrists so vigorously that he hurt me.  ‘Four—­did you say four o’clock?’

’It was very wrong of me to say anything about it.  Gladys would be shocked at my making an appointment.  I believe you are demoralising me, Max; but I do not mean to tell her.’  And then, after a few more eager questions on Max’s part, he reluctantly let me go.

I had plenty to tell Gladys when she woke that morning, but I prudently kept part of our conversation to myself.  She wanted to know how Max looked when he got her letter.  Did he seem happy? had he sent her any message?  And when I had satisfied her on these points she had a hundred other questions to ask.  ’I am engaged to him, and yet we cannot speak to each other,’ she finished, a little mournfully.

I turned her thoughts at last by speaking about the promised drive.  We decided she should put on her pretty gray dress and bonnet to do honour to the day.  ‘It is a fete-day, Gladys,’ I said cheerfully, ’and we must be as gay as possible.’  And she agreed to this.

At the appointed time we heard the horses coming round from the stables, and Mr. Hamilton came upstairs himself to fetch his sister.  Chatty had told me privately that Miss Darrell had been very cross all day.  She had wanted the carriage for herself that afternoon, and had spoken quite angrily to Mr. Hamilton about it; but he had told her rather coldly that she must give up her wishes for once.  Thornton heard master say that he was surprised at her selfishness:  he had thought she would be glad that Miss Gladys should have a drive.  ’Miss Darrell looked as black as possible, Thornton said, ma’am,’ continued Chatty; ’but she did not dare argue with master; he always has the best of it with her.’

As we drove off, I saw Miss Darrell watching us from the study window:  evidently her bad temper had not evaporated, for she had not taken the trouble to come out in the hall to speak to Gladys, and yet they had not met for a month.  Gladys did not see her:  she was smiling at her brother, who was waving a good-bye from the open door.  My heart smote me a little as I looked at him.  Would he think me very deceitful, I wondered, for giving Max that clue? but after a moment I abandoned these thoughts and gave myself up to the afternoon’s enjoyment.