She vanished in the mist towards the left, and the loiterers in the hut began to move and open the door, remarking, ’Now then for Wyndway House, a change of clothes, and a dinner.’

4.  Sandbourne pier—­road to Wyndway—­ball-room in Wyndway house

The last light of a winter day had gone down behind the houses of Sandbourne, and night was shut close over all.  Christopher, about eight o’clock, was standing at the end of the pier with his back towards the open sea, whence the waves were pushing to the shore in frills and coils that were just rendered visible in all their bleak instability by the row of lights along the sides of the jetty, the rapid motion landward of the wavetips producing upon his eye an apparent progress of the pier out to sea.  This pier-head was a spot which Christopher enjoyed visiting on such moaning and sighing nights as the present, when the sportive and variegated throng that haunted the pier on autumn days was no longer there, and he seemed alone with weather and the invincible sea.

Somebody came towards him along the deserted footway, and rays from the nearest lamp streaked the face of his sister Faith.

‘O Christopher, I knew you were here,’ she said eagerly.  ’You are wanted; there’s a servant come from Wyndway House for you.  He is sent to ask if you can come immediately to play at a little dance they have resolved upon this evening—­quite suddenly it seems.  If you can come, you must bring with you any assistant you can lay your hands upon at a moment’s notice, he says.’

’Wyndway House; why should the people send for me above all other musicians in the town?’

Faith did not know.  ‘If you really decide to go,’ she said, as they walked homeward, ’you might take me as your assistant.  I should answer the purpose, should I not, Kit? since it is only a dance or two they seem to want.’

’And your harp I suppose you mean.  Yes; you might be competent to take a part.  It cannot be a regular ball; they would have had the quadrille band for anything of that sort.  Faith—­we’ll go.  However, let us see the man first, and inquire particulars.’

Reaching home, Christopher found at his door a horse and wagonette in charge of a man-servant in livery, who repeated what Faith had told her brother.  Wyndway House was a well-known country-seat three or four miles out of the town, and the coachman mentioned that if they were going it would be well that they should get ready to start as soon as they conveniently could, since he had been told to return by ten if possible.  Christopher quickly prepared himself, and put a new string or two into Faith’s harp, by which time she also was dressed; and, wrapping up herself and her instrument safe from the night air, away they drove at half-past nine.

‘Is it a large party?’ said Christopher, as they whizzed along.