Beyond the Rocks

So he walked over to Hector and engaged him in conversation.

Hector would have thought of this aspect himself at another time, but

to-night he was dazed with passion and pain.

"Come and smoke a cigar on the terrace, Crow," he said. "One wants a

little quiet and peace sometimes."

And then the Crow looked at him with his head on one side in that wise

way which had earned for him his sobriquet.

"Hector, old boy, you know these damned people here and their ways. Just

keep yourself in evidence, my son," he said, as he walked away.

And Hector thanked him in his heart, and went across and asked Morella

to dance.

Up in her room Theodora lay prostrate. She could reason no more--she

could only sob in the dark.

Next day she did not appear until luncheon-time. But the guests at

Beechleigh always rose when they pleased, and no one remarked her

absence even, each pair busy with their own affairs. Only Barbara crept

up to her room to see how she was, and if she wanted anything. Theodora

wondered why her cousin should have been so changed from the afternoon

of their arrival. And Barbara longed to tell her. She moved about, and

looked out of the window, and admired Theodora's beautiful hair spread

over the pillows. Then she said: "Oh, I wish you came here often and Mildred didn't. She is a brute, and

she hates you for being so beautiful. She made me keep away, you know.

Do you think me a mean coward?" Her poor, plain, timid face was pitiful

as she looked at Theodora, and to her came the thought of what Barbara's

life was probably among them all, and she said, gently: "No, indeed, I don't. It was much better for you not to annoy her

further; she might have been nastier to me than even she has been. But

why don't you stand up for yourself generally? After all, you are Uncle

Patrick's daughter, and she is only your mother's niece."

"They both love her far more than they do me," said Barbara, with

hanging head.

And then they talked of other things. Barbara adored her home, but her

family had no sentiment for it, she told Theodora; and Pat, she

believed, would like to sell the whole thing and gamble away the money.

Just before luncheon-time, when Theodora was dressed and going down,

Josiah came up again to see her. He had fussed in once or twice before

during the morning. This time it was to tell her a special messenger had

come from his agent in London to inform him his presence was absolutely

necessary there the first thing on Tuesday morning. Some turn of deep

importance to his affairs had transpired during the holiday. So he would

go up by an early train. He had settled it all with Sir Patrick, who,

however, would not hear of Theodora's leaving.