‘Did you see the light of sunset on the mountains?’

‘Yes,’ he replied.

‘There has been no such evening since I came.’

’And you wanted to sit at home with a book.  That was no close for a perfect day.’

’I found a letter from your cousin.  She was with her friends the Goodalls yesterday.’

‘The Goodalls—­I used to know them.’

‘Yes.’

The word was uttered with significance.  Everard understood the allusion, but did not care to show that he did.

‘How does Mary get on without you?’

‘There’s no difficulty.’

‘Has she any one capable of taking your place?’

‘Yes.  Miss Vesper can do all that’s necessary.’

‘Even to inspiring the girls with zeal for an independent life?’

‘Perhaps even that.’

They went along by the waves, in the warm-coloured twilight, until the houses of Seascale were hidden.  Then Everard stopped.

‘To-morrow we go to Coniston?’ he said, smiling as he stood before her.

‘You are going?’

‘Do you think I can leave you?’

Rhoda’s eyes fell.  She held the long strip of seaweed with bothhands and tightened it.

‘Do you wish me to leave you?’ he added.

’You mean that we are to go through the lakes together—­as we have been to-day?’

‘No.  I don’t mean that.’

Rhoda took a few steps onward, so that he remained standing behind.  Another moment and his arms had folded about her, his lips were on hers.  She did not resist.  His embrace grew stronger, and he pressed kiss after kiss upon her mouth.  With exquisitedelight he saw the deep crimson flush that transfigured hercountenance; saw her look for one instant into his eyes, and wasconscious of the triumphant gleam she met there.

’Do you remember my saying in the letter how I hungered to taste your lips?  I don’t know how I have refrained so long—­’

‘What is your love worth?’ asked Rhoda, speaking with a great effort.  She had dropped the seaweed, and one of her hands rested upon his shoulder, with a slight repelling pressure.

‘Worth your whole life!’ he answered, with a low, glad laugh.

‘That is what I doubt.  Convince me of that.’

‘Convince you?  With more kisses?  But what is your love worth?’

’Perhaps more than you yet understand.  Perhaps more than you can understand.’

’I will believe that, Rhoda.  I know, at all events, that it is something of inestimable price.  The knowledge has grown in me for a year and more.’

’Let me stand away from you again.  There is something more to be said before—­No, let me be quite apart from you.’

He released her after one more kiss.

‘Will you answer me a question with perfect truthfulness?’

Her voice was not quite steady, but she succeeded in looking at him with unflinching eyes.