’DEAR CYTHEREA—­I have received a frank and friendly letter from Mr. Manston explaining the position in which he stands now, and also that in which he hopes to stand towards you.  Can’t you love him?  Why not?  Try, for he is a good, and not only that, but a cultured man.  Think of the weary and laborious future that awaits you if you continue for life in your present position, and do you see any way of escape from it except by marriage?  I don’t.  Don’t go against your heart, Cytherea, but be wise.—­Ever affectionately yours, OWEN.’

She thought that probably he had replied to Mr. Manston in the same favouring mood.  She had a conviction that that day would settle her doom.  Yet

     ‘So true a fool is love,’

that even now she nourished a half-hope that something would happen at the last moment to thwart her deliberately-formed intentions, and favour the old emotion she was using all her strength to thrust down.

8.  THE TENTH OF SEPTEMBER

The Sunday was the thirteenth after Trinity, and the afternoon service at Carriford was nearly over.  The people were singing the Evening Hymn.

Manston was at church as usual in his accustomed place two seats forward from the large square pew occupied by Miss Aldclyffe and Cytherea.

The ordinary sadness of an autumnal evening-service seemed, in Cytherea’s eyes, to be doubled on this particular occasion.  She looked at all the people as they stood and sang, waving backwards and forwards like a forest of pines swayed by a gentle breeze; then at the village children singing too, their heads inclined to one side, their eyes listlessly tracing some crack in the old walls, or following the movement of a distant bough or bird with features petrified almost to painfulness.  Then she looked at Manston; he was already regarding her with some purpose in his glance.

‘It is coming this evening,’ she said in her mind.  A minute later, at the end of the hymn, when the congregation began to move out, Manston came down the aisle.  He was opposite the end of her seat as she stepped from it, the remainder of their progress to the door being in contact with each other.  Miss Aldclyffe had lingered behind.

‘Don’t let’s hurry,’ he said, when Cytherea was about to enter the private path to the House as usual.  ’Would you mind turning down this way for a minute till Miss Aldclyffe has passed?’

She could not very well refuse now.  They turned into a secluded path on their left, leading round through a thicket of laurels to the other gate of the church-yard, walking very slowly.  By the time the further gate was reached, the church was closed.  They met the sexton with the keys in his hand.

‘We are going inside for a minute,’ said Manston to him, taking the keys unceremoniously.  ‘I will bring them to you when we return.’

The sexton nodded his assent, and Cytherea and Manston walked into the porch, and up the nave.