The mention of his rival had affected Malcolm painfully, and Elizabeth was aware of this and was at once on her guard.

She avoided all local subjects and plied him with questions about his mother and Anna and the Kestons; all of which Malcolm answered punctiliously.

When a pause in the conversation seemed inevitable, he plunged into the breach with a description of Amias Keston's latest picture, and an anecdote or two about that infant prodigy Babs; he spoke of a book he had been reading, from which he gave them copious extracts; and then, dessert being placed on the table, he drew a sigh of relief.

By that time he was sensible of fatigue.
He left them soon after this.

When he bade Dinah good-bye, she took both his hands and looked wistfully in his face.