The Vision of Desire

it doubly attractive after her six months' sojourn abroad. The train slowed down to manipulate a rather sharp curve in the line as i

ing, picturesque village which climbed the side of a steep hill sloping upward from the shore. Over all lay the warm haze of early July sunshine

d for her golden-hazel eyes, with their changeful lights, nature had substituted in him a pair of serious greenish-brown ones. But they

cipitated herself upon him with unconcealed delight. "O

reas when she had last seen him he had limped a bit as a consequence of his wound, to-day he had crossed the platform with the old, easy, swinging stride of

r luggage in charge of a porter, they made their way out of the station. "Ne

. Her spontaneous ent

f they do," he agreed. "

t. The latter, held with difficulty by a lad Robin had left in ch

p?" quer

soon as he heard I had a sister coming to live with me he sent down this pony and cart from his own stables. Naturally, I told him that that kind of thing wasn'

young man," commented Ann, as

eek little cob at once breaking into a sharp trot wh

rty, at least. And I don't think you would describe him as 'nice' if you'd met him. He's very

ve of her hand. "He's quite at liberty to enjoy his womanless Eden as far as I'm concerned. Men-other than extremely nice brothers, of course!-are really far mo

drawing his whip lightly across the

you leave t

course, but I think Tony found it a bit boring compared with Monte

mbles as much

face c

acknowledged. "At least, w

hance down at Lorne," rema

at's quite long enough for Tony to get into trouble"-ruefully. "Lady Susan says he plays a lot in

of being one of the most dare-devil gamblers in London-in every shape and form. Card

ows drew

, he can afford to throw money away if he chooses. Tony can'

" said Robin. "It was very decent of her to

esn't seem to occur to her. You'll meet her before long, as she comes straight home from Paris. Is

sly at a green-painted gateway. A diminutive and hugely self-important young urchin, whom Ann learned later to know as Billy Brewster, the odd-job boy, appeared simultaneously and flew to the pony's head, grasping his bridle with as much promptitude as if there were imminent danger of his bolting at si

hich Robin held open for her, while Billy to

g imp?" she asked. "Is

bi

ded, s

ose to do, in addition to grooming the horses. You

its walls was half concealed beneath a purple mist of wistaria, while on the other side of the porch roses nodded their heads right up to the very eaves of the roof. From the green-clothed porch itself clustered

capacious pockets of her snowy apron, just as she remembered her in the long-ago nursery days at Lovell, brought back a flood of tender memories-of the old home in Devon which she had

r and she was coaxing and patting and hugging her just as she had done through a hundred childish t

t. 'Tis a cup of tea you be wanting, sure's I'm here. An' I'

th a huge open hearth that promised roaring fires when winter

p at Robin r

the door of her consciousness. For a moment the walls of the little room seemed to melt away, dissolving into thick folds of fog which rolled towards her in ever darker and darker waves, threatening to engulf her. Instinctively she stretched out her hand to ward them off, but they on

ed for you." Maria surveyed her handiwork with obvious satisfaction. "And I'm sur

. "As if it could make twopenny-worth of difference

say 'twill bring you luck if so be a dark woman's the first to cross your threshold after the N

s Caroline," as she was invariably called by the villagers, was a flat-chested, colourless individual with one of those thin noses which seem to have grown permanently elongated at the point in

hour after Maria had brought in tea, and seemed overwhe

thought you were expecting your sister yesterday, Mr. Lovell. I told you so, didn't I, Brian?" She appealed to her brot

believe a

"Though I haven't the slightest doubt she told that nice brother of hers just what she wished him to believe. She simply wanted

he necessary cordiality demanded by the occasion and, ri

red to want visitors when you've only just come of

fineness of a cameo. His dark hair was sprinkled with grey at the temples, and beneath a broad, tranquil brow looked out a pair of kindly, luminous eyes that were neither all brown nor all grey. Later, when she

accord in the welcome they extended to her brother. He was no stranger to Robin. The latter had put up at the village inn during the time occupied by Maria Coombe in "

aring somewhat taken aback when Ann explained that she had driven a car, the making of shirts and mufflers coming more within the scope of Caroline's own idea as to what was "suitable" work for a young girl-and the length of time she had lived with

der to produce such a phenomenon. "Did you hear that, Brian? Miss Lovell has been living with our dear Lady Susan." She spoke as if she h

harming happening," re

is even nearer

tic smile that seemed to establish them o

hought to the bitter end of her commonplace mind, "it's as thoug

bserved a quiet, dreaming expression come into his eyes-

Miss Caroline. "It would be a most singular t

g as though you regarded the Almighty as a thoughtless k

y and naturally as he might of any other friend. She herself, in the course of her parochial work in the village, habitually repr

e conversation on to

," she remarked sociably. "Mr. Coventry himself is a stranger t

d, you mean?

s to-day. The carrier told our cook that he was ordered to meet th

?" asked Ann casually.

ith gossipy news which

The furniture that's been coming down by rai

inquired the rector, his ey

-you know, she lives in one of the Priory cottages-on the very day the pantechnicons were deliver

rian's eyes grew

e stood and watched the

adding with some asperity: "It would be quite fitting if you

n, I assure you-though I don't know that it extends

he Priory who is in a position to keep it up properly,

or-"as we're as poor as church mice, it's just as well the

Here's Mr. Coventry come home at last to live at Heronsmere-a very eligible bachelor-and with this Mrs.

ed up, laughing

y is a veritable hot-bed of gossip. Coventry hasn't been in the neighbourhood a month, poor man,

ing broadly, "she may be a reall

line shoo

idn't look like it. One of the packages was a little torn, and

ved Ann with some amusement, when the rector and his s