‘I can quite imagine how he would be,’ said Alma.

’And how glad I was when I heard you had married his best friend!  It had crossed my mind more than once.  Perhaps you don’t remember —­ you didn’t notice it at the time —­ but I ventured a discreet hint before we parted.  You couldn’t have done a more sensible thing, Alma.’

Though quite willing to believe this, Alma, for some reason, did not care to hear it thus asserted.  The manner of the remark, for all its friendliness, reminded her that marriage had signified her defeat, the end of high promises, brave aspirations.

‘I couldn’t tell you how it happened,’ she said, with a little awkwardness.  ’And I dare say you would say the same about your own marriage.’

‘Of course So would every woman.  One never does know how it happens’

And Sibyl laughed with quiet merriment which had a touch of cynicism.  Alma had not yet spoken of the impulse which carried her away to the little house in Carnarvonshire, to the life of noble simplicity and calm retirement, and she had no disposition now to touch on the matter.  Even in her early letters to Sybil not much was said of it, for she felt that her friend might have a difficulty in sympathising with such enthusiasm.  She would have liked to make Sibyl understand that her rustication was quite voluntary; but the subject embarrassed her, and she preferred to keep silence.

‘I didn’t hear very much about your time in Germany,’ Mrs. Carnaby resumed.  ‘Nothing much to tell, I suppose.’

‘Very little.’

‘Any —­ any adventures?’

‘Oh no!’

Alma felt herself grow warm, less at the thought of the adventures which really had befallen her than from vexation at the feeling of insignificance.  She understood very well what Sibyl meant by her smiling question, and it would almost have been a relief to tell certain stories, in proof that she had not utterly fallen out of sight and mind on her self-banishment from society.  There was no reason, indeed, why she should not make fun of Felix Dymes and his proposal; but the episode seemed idle in comparison with another, on which she had never ceased to reflect.  Perhaps a certain glory attached to that second incident; Sibyl might be impressed alike with the character of the temptation and with her friend’s nobility in scorning it.  But the opportunity had gone by.

On rising from table, Sibyl remarked that she wished to make one or two purchases; would Alma accompany her to the shop?  They went forth, and drove as far as Regent Street.  Mrs. Carnaby’s requirements were one or two expensive trifles, which she chose with leisurely gratification of her taste.  It surprised Alma to see this extravagance; one would have thought the purchaser had never known restricted means, and dreamt of no such thing; she bought what she happened to desire, as a matter of course.  And this was no ostentation for Alma’s benefit.  Evidently Sibyl had indulged herself with the same freedom throughout her travels; for she had brought back a museum of beautiful and curious things, which must have cost a good deal.  Perhaps for the first time in her life Alma experienced a sense of indignation at the waste of money.  She was envious withal, which possibly helped to explain the other impulse.