The Woodlanders

Business being over, he turned to speak to the timber merchant. But

Melbury's manner was short and distant; and Grace, too, looked vexed

and reproachful. Winterborne then discovered that he had been

unwittingly bidding against her father, and picking up his favorite

lots in spite of him. With a very few words they left the spot and

pursued their way homeward.

Giles was extremely sorry at what he had done, and remained standing

under the trees, all the other men having strayed silently away. He

saw Melbury and his daughter pass down a glade without looking back.

While they moved slowly through it a lady appeared on horseback in the

middle distance, the line of her progress converging upon that of

Melbury's. They met, Melbury took off his hat, and she reined in her

horse. A conversation was evidently in progress between Grace and her

father and this equestrian, in whom he was almost sure that he

recognized Mrs. Charmond, less by her outline than by the livery of the

groom who had halted some yards off.

The interlocutors did not part till after a prolonged pause, during

which much seemed to be said. When Melbury and Grace resumed their

walk it was with something of a lighter tread than before.

Winterborne then pursued his own course homeward. He was unwilling to

let coldness grow up between himself and the Melburys for any trivial

reason, and in the evening he went to their house. On drawing near the

gate his attention was attracted by the sight of one of the bedrooms

blinking into a state of illumination. In it stood Grace lighting

several candles, her right hand elevating the taper, her left hand on

her bosom, her face thoughtfully fixed on each wick as it kindled, as

if she saw in every flame's growth the rise of a life to maturity. He

wondered what such unusual brilliancy could mean to-night. On getting

in-doors he found her father and step-mother in a state of suppressed

excitement, which at first he could not comprehend.

"I am sorry about my biddings to-day," said Giles. "I don't know what

I was doing. I have come to say that any of the lots you may require

are yours."

"Oh, never mind--never mind," replied the timber-merchant, with a

slight wave of his hand, "I have so much else to think of that I nearly

had forgot it. Just now, too, there are matters of a different kind

from trade to attend to, so don't let it concern ye."

As the timber-merchant spoke, as it were, down to him from a higher

moral plane than his own, Giles turned to Mrs. Melbury.