first time she felt definitely the
clamorous and persistent desire for his company, the absence of which
the old perfection of her home "was no longer able to counteract. For
the first time in her life the Rectory had a sort of emptiness; and
there was not a room on this tediously beautiful day, nor any nook in
the garden, which could calm her with the familiar assurance of home.
When the time for music came round, that night, it seemed to Pauline not
at all worth while to play quartets in celebration of a day that had
been so barren of events.

"Don't you want to play?" they asked her in surprise.

"Why should we play?" she countered. "But I'll listen to you, if you
like."

Of course she was persuaded into taking her part, and never had she been
so often out of tune and never had her strings snapped so continuously.
Always until to-night the performance of music had brought to her the
peaceful irresponsibilities of being herself in a pattern; now this
sense of design was irritating her with an arduous repression, until at
last she put down her violin and refused to play any more. Pauline felt
that the others knew the cause of her ill-temper, but none of them said
anything about Guy, and, with her for audience in one of the Caroline
chairs, they played trios instead.

Next day when Guy did come it was wet; and Pauline wished Margaret would
leave them together, so that they could talk; but Margaret stayed all
the afternoon in the nursery, and Pauline made up her mind that somehow
she must go for another walk with Guy.

She found her mother alone in the drawing-room before dinner.

"Mother, don't you think Guy and I might go for a walk to-morrow?"

"Oh, Pauline, you went for a walk together only the day before
yesterday. And you really must remember you're not engaged. The Wychford
people will gossip so, and that will make your father angry."

"Well, why can't we be engaged openly?"

"No, not yet. Now, please don't ask me. Pauline, I beg you will say no
more about it."

"Then I can go to-morrow," said Pauline. "Oh, Mother, you are so sweet
to me."

Mrs. Grey looked rather perplexed and as if she were vainly trying to
determine what she had said to make Pauline suppose that leave for walks
had been given. However, she evidently supposed it had; and when next
Guy came to the Rectory Pauline whispered to him they could go for a
walk if they did not have to go through Wychford. She could not
understand herself