Dalgetty brought a message excusing her, to which Manisty listened in silence.
Aunt Pattie slipped out to see that the visitor had everything she required.

But she returned almost instantly, her little parchment face quivering with nervousness.
'Alice would not see me,' she said to Manisty.
'We must leave her alone,' he said quickly.

'Dalgetty will look after her.' The meal passed under a cloud of anxiety.

For once Manisty exerted himself to make talk, but not with much success.
As the ladies left the dining-room, he detained Lucy.
'Would it be too hot for you in the garden now?
Would you mind returning there ?' Lucy fetched her hat.

There was only one short stretch of sun-beaten path to cross, and then, beyond, one entered upon the deep shade of the ilexes, already penetrated, at the turn of the day, by the first breaths of the sea-wind from the west.