The Morning herald., 1878-05-24
CHAPTER iii.
LADY TEMPLE AND MISS DAYRELL.

Geofrey Chetwynd walked along the
sands till he found a secluded nook among
the rocks where he could undress, bathed,
dressed again, and sat down to enjoy the
cool shade and sea breeze, without his
thoughts ever wandering from the young
widow. Her sweet, low voice seemed still
in his ears, her lovely face before his eyes,
till, with start, lie sprang to his feet, ex-
claiming: .
"By Jove, l believe my brain is softening !!
So much for solitude! | believe a man
might do anything that is mad or idiotic if
he were only left alone long enough. Here
am incoming and dreaming over pretty
face as if were sentimental youngster of
eighteen. 1t is oil owing to my not having
spoken to man for three weeks. I'll go
and hunt up Temple this very day. Tt is q
pretty face though-the sweetest l have ever
seen-and such tigurei There go again !!
Geoffrey Chetwynd, you're bigger ass than
I took you for, and that's saying good
deal. Come, step out" and, suiting the
action to the word, he strobe along the fast
lessening sands at the rate of six miles an
hour. Mrs. Elton and Cecil were not in
sight, though Geofrey, man-like, looked
right and left for them.
Entering his lodgings, he brushed himself
up, put on tidy coat and hat and walked
off toward Newland Abbey, his friend Sir
Henry Temples seat.
The August san shone hot and strong on
the yellow fields of grain the sea, lying far
below Geofrey--for his way lay along the
top of the cliff -glittered with painful bril-
liancy; and he was not sorry to strike off
presently into shady green lanes, where the
elms in the hedgerows met overhead and
the sloping, sandy banks were rich with
dropping ferns and ripening blackberries
"Just in time for luncheon he thought,
as the great bell over the stables rang out at
the very moment he laid his hand on the
latch of the gates; "and / sha'n't be sorry
to see it. All there are Lady Temple and
Harry little ahead"
A few steps more brought him to the
lady's side, and she turned with q start as
his hand was stretched out before her.
'Mr. Chetwynd, am so glad to see you !
Jennings told us you were here, and we
were going to look you up this very after
noon. Are you better?
Eyes, thank you," answered Geoffrey--
"quite recovered, and beginning to fall ill
the other way, for want OF something to do.
Do you know have not spoken to man,
except casual sailor or fisherman, for three
whole weeks? Yesterday I made friends
with small boy and his mother; and that
was the first bit of relief from unvarylng
silence"
II wonder if you mean my lovely young
widow, Mrs. EltonY said Lady Temple
quickly.
"That is exactly whom I do mean. Mas
ter Cecil and I fraternized over a boat, and
to-day followed it up by making acquaint-
ance with his pretty mother / wish | had
done so three weeks ago."
"Isn't she lovely? was attracted by her
sve4>t face in church, when we were down
at Faster, and though I could find out
Nothing sbout her, I called on her and
asked her to dinner. But she would not
come She is very reserved, and will not
now ANYBODY, for several people have tried
to make friends with her; but she told me
that her father had been clery lyman. hold
ing some foreign chaplaincy-she did not
say wbere-and that he was dead, and ina,
she had no near relatives, tried to hnd
ont who her husband was, but, though l
made several illusions to him, she dld not
rnsnond and could not ask think 1t IS
N~SN''
"What humbug it is to say women never
admire each other! remarked Godfrey
smiling a pleased smile, aud thinking what
a thoroughly amiable woman Lady Temple
was. Il think they are far more good-na-
tured about their own sex than we men are
five do admire man. it is sure to be one
that ladies do not. By Jove, this is pretty
place
They had emerged from the cool shade OF
the avenue, and the house stood before
them, old and gray, with mullioned win
dows overshadowed by creepers, with gables
and quaint projections in every part, and
deep porch, beneath which coach and four
horses could stand with ease, and the grass
plot before the house as gay as the most
brilliant fower-beds could make it. 10 the
right of the house smooth lawn sloped
down to shallow but wide stream, beyond
which spreading beeches and stately elms
made deep shadows, leaving the greater
part of the garden to the imagination; to
the left the ground sloped upwards, and
bank of magnolias and rhodo-
dendrons left only the quaint gabled roof OF
the stables in view.
A tall, thin man of thirty-ive or forty,
with a handsome but rather worn face, was
standing near the house, attended by three
settlers, and talking to gamekeeper, tie
came forward with pleasant smile as Lady
Temple and Geoffrey approached.
.'Well, Geofrey, my boy, where have you
sprung from? We were coming to unearth
YOU this afternoon, but this is better still
Addie, the luncheon bell has rung, and
nurse has been looking for Harry. Run in,
my little man." Then, as the boy disap--
peared, followed by his mother, he passed
his arm within Geoffrey s and led him up to
his dressing-room. "You are in luck, Geot-
frey, my boy" he said, as the door closed
behind them. ''Your old fame, Eva Day
rell, is here, and her sister Milly, and Jack
Diobv and Tom T,ee-a yery Jolly party.