On Thursday afternoon Helbeck was fishing in the park. The sea-trout were coming up, the day was soft, and he had done well. But just as the evening rise was beginning he put up his rod and went home. Father Leadham had taken his departure. Augustina, Miss Fountain, and he were again alone in the house.
He went into his study, and left the door open, while he busied himself with some writing.
Presently Augustina put her head in. She looked dishevelled, and rather pinker than usual, as always happened when there was the smallest disturbance of her routine.
"Laura has just gone up to dress, Alan. Is it fine?"
"There is no rain," he said, without turning his head. "Don't shut the door, please. This fire is oppressive."
She went away, and he wrote on a little while--then listened. He heard hurrying feet and movements overhead, and presently a door opened hastily, and a voice exclaimed, "Just two or three, you know, Ellen--from that corner under the kitchen-window! Run, there's a good girl!"
And there was a clattering noise as Ellen ran down the front stairs, and then flew along the corridor to the garden-door.
In a minute she was back again, and as she passed his room Helbeck saw that she was carrying a bunch of white narcissus.
Then more sounds of laughter and chatter overhead. At last Augustina hurried down and looked in upon him again, flurried and smiling.
"Alan, you really must see her. She looks so pretty."
"I am afraid I'm busy," he said, still writing. And she retired disappointed, careful, however, to follow his wishes about the door.
"Augustina, hold Bruno!" cried a light voice suddenly. "If he jumps on me I'm done for!"
A swish of soft skirts and she was there--in the hall. Helbeck could see her quite plainly as she stood by the oak table in her white dress. There was just room at the throat of it for a pearl necklace, and at the wrists for some thin gold bracelets. The narcissus were in her hair, which she had coiled and looped in a wonderful way, so that Helbeck's eyes were dazzled by its colour and abundance, and by the whiteness of the slender neck below it. She meanwhile was quite unconscious of his neighbourhood, and he saw that she was all in a happy flutter, hastily putting on her gloves, and chattering alternately to Augustina and to the transformed Ellen, who stood in speechless admiration behind her, holding a cloak.