ched woman in her yellow dressing-gown sitting
crouched on a box. 'Can this be love?' I thought, with a shudder,--'this
compound of vanity and selfishness?' and I felt how different was my
feeling for Giles. The barrier might never be broken down between us, I
might never be to him more than I was now, but all my life I should love
and honour him as the noblest man I knew on God's earth.

CHAPTER XLVI

NAP BARKS IN THE STABLE-YARD

I was arranging some flowers that Max had sent us the next morning, and
waiting for Gladys to join me, when Mr. Hamilton came in.

'Where is Gladys?' he asked, looking round the room; but when he heard
that she had not finished dressing, he would not hear of my disturbing
her.

'It is no matter,' he went on. 'I shall be back before she is in bed. I
only wanted to tell her that I have seen Cunliffe. I breakfasted with him
this morning. He will be up here presently to see her. He looks ten years
younger, Miss Garston.' And, as I smiled at that, he continued, in rather
a constrained voice,--

'Mr. Tudor breakfasted with us.'

'Yes, I suppose so,' I returned carelessly. 'What splendid carnations
these are, Mr. Hamilton! You have not any so good at Gladwyn.'

'Cunliffe must spare me some cuttings,' he replied, rather absently;
then, without looking at me, and in a peculiar voice, 'Is it still a
secret, Miss Garston, or may I be allowed to congratulate you?'

I dropped the carnations as though they suddenly scorched me.

'Why should you congratulate me, Mr. Hamilton?'

'I thought you considered me a friend,' he replied, rather nervously.
'But, of course, if it be still a secret, I must beg your pardon for my
abruptness.'

'I don't know what you mean,' I said, very crossly, but my cheeks were
burning. 'If this be a joke, I must tell you once for all that I dislike
this sort of jokes: they are not in good taste': for I was as angry with
him as possible, for who knew what nonsense he had got into his head? He
looked at me in quite a bewildered fashion; my anger was evidently
incomprehensible to him. We were playing at cross-purposes.

'Do you think I am in the mood for joking?' he said, at last. 'Have you
ever heard me jest on such subjects, Miss Garston? I thought we agreed on
that point.'

'Do you mean you are serious?'

'Perfectly serious.'

'Then in that case will you kindly explain to me why you think I am to be
congratulated?'

He looked uncomfortable. 'I have under