But Percy Dacier also was too good for Miss Paynham, if that was Tony’s plan for him, Lady Dunstane thought, with the relentlessness of an invalid and recluse’s distaste.  An aspect of penitence she had not demanded, but the silly gabbier under a stigma she could not pardon.

Her opinion of Miss Paynham was diffused in her silence.

Speaking of Mr. Dacier, she remarked, ’As you say of him, Tony, he can brighten, and when you give him a chance he is entertaining.  He has fine gifts.  If I were a member of his family I should beat about for a match for him.  He strikes me as one of the young men who would do better married.’

‘He is doing very well, but the wonder is that he doesn’t marry,’ said Diana.  ’He ought to be engaged.  Lady Esquart told me that he was.  A Miss Asper—­great heiress; and the Daciers want money.  However, there it is.’

Not many weeks later Diana could not have spoken of Mr. Percy Dacier with this air of indifference without corruption of her inward guide.

CHAPTER XIX

A DRIVE IN SUNLIGHT AND A DRIVE IN MOONLIGHT

The fatal time to come for her was in the Summer of that year.

Emma had written her a letter of unwonted bright spirits, contrasting strangely with an inexplicable oppression of her own that led her to imagine her recent placid life the pause before thunder, and to sharp the mood of her solitary friend she flew to Copsley, finding Sir Lukin absent, as usual.  They drove out immediately after breakfast, on one of those high mornings of the bared bosom of June when distances are given to our eyes, and a soft air fondles leaf and grass-blade, and beauty and peace are overhead, reflected, if we will.  Rain had fallen in the night.  Here and there hung a milk-white cloud with folded sail.  The South-west left it in its bay of blue, and breathed below.  At moments the fresh scent of herb and mould swung richly in warmth.  The young beech-leaves glittered, pools of rain-water made the roadways laugh, the grass-banks under hedges rolled their interwoven weeds in cascades of many-shaded green to right and left of the pair of dappled ponies, and a squirrel crossed ahead, a lark went up a little way to ease his heart, closing his wings when the burst was over, startled black-birds, darting with a clamour like a broken cockcrow, looped the wayside woods from hazel to oak-scrub; short flights, quick spirts everywhere, steady sunshine above.

Diana held the reins.  The whip was an ornament, as the plume of feathers to the general officer.  Lady Dunstane’s ponies were a present from Redworth, who always chose the pick of the land for his gifts.  They joyed in their trot, and were the very love-birds of the breed for their pleasure of going together, so like that Diana called them the Dromios.  Through an old gravel-cutting a gateway led to the turf of the down, springy turf bordered on a long line, clear