to more advantage here than on her
recent visit to Alverholme; she was more naturally self-possessed, and
seemed a freer, happier person. The house garb, though decorous rather
than ornamental, became her better than her walking-costume. Her
well-shaped head and thoughtful, sensitive, controlled features, had a
new value against this background of handsome furniture and all the
appointments of wealth. She moved as if breathing the air that suited
her.

From the terrace on the roof, their eyes commanded a wide and beautiful
prospect, seen at this moment of the year in its brightest array of
infinitely varied verdure. Constance, still in an absent tone, pointed
out the features of the landscape, naming villages, hills, and great
estates. Hollingford, partly under a canopy of smoke, lay low by its
winding river, and in that direction Dyce most frequently turned his
eyes.

"I felt very much obliged to you," he said, "for your carefully written
letter. But wasn't there one rather serious omission?"

Speaking, he looked at Constance with a humorous twinkle of the eye.
She smiled.

"Yes, there was. But, after all, it did no harm."

"Perhaps not. I ought to have used more discretion on strange ground.
By the bye, do you take an interest in the mill?"

"A good deal of interest. I think that what you said about it was, on
the whole, true--though such an obvious improvisation."

"Improvisation? In one sense, yes; I had to take in the facts of the
case very quickly. But you don't mean that you doubt my sincerity?"

"No, no. Of course not."

"Come, Miss Connie, we must understand each other--"

She interrupted him with a look of frank annoyance.

"Will you do me the kindness not to call me by that name? It sounds
childish--and I have long outgrown childhood."

"What shall I call you? Miss Bride?"

"It is the usual form of address."

"Good. I was going to say that I should like you to be clear about my
position. I have come here, not in the first place with a hope of
personal advantage, but to see if I can interest Lady Ogram in certain
views which I hold and am trying to get accepted by people of
influence. It happened that this affair of the mill gave me a good
illustration of the theory I generally have to put in an abstract way.
Your word 'improvisation' seems to hint that I shaped my views to the
purpose of pleasing Lady Ogram--a plain injustice, as you will see if
you remember the letter I wrote you."

Const