I wonder!--" And again the bluebell carpet seemed to be all round her--the light and fragrance and colour of the wood.

And the man on the black horse beside her was bending towards her, all his harsh strength subdued, for the moment, to the one end of pleasing her.

She saw the smile in his dark eyes; and the touch of sarcastic _brusquerie_ in the smile, that could rouse her own fighting spirit, as the touch of her whip roused the brown mare.
* * * * * "Am I really so late ?" said Connie, in distress, running downstairs the following afternoon to find the family and various guests waiting for her in the hall.
"Well, I hope we shan't miss everybody," said Alice sharply.

"How late are we ?" She turned to Herbert Pryce.
The young don smiled and evaded the question.
"Nearly half an hour!" said Alice.

"Of course they'll think we're not coming." "They" were another section of the party who were taking a couple of boats round from the lower river, and were to meet the walkers coming across the Parks, at the Cherwell.
"Dreadfully sorry!" said Connie, who had opened her eyes, however, as though Alice's tone astonished her.