The Vision of Desire

g hide-and-seek. With every puff a big cluster of roses, which had climbed to the sill, swayed forward and peeped inside, sendi

ster groomed him, whistling softly through his teeth while he brushed and curry-combed, the occasional honk of a motor-h

ately after breakfast, so she merely supposed that, having started early, he had returned early. But a minute later Maria was

didn't inquire if any one was at home, but just follow

from her knees, dusti

with me for Robin. I hope, though," she added with a faint sense of irritati

lock of hair, she ran quickly do

ng almost as she crossed the th

oking straight into the grey eyes of the Englishman from Montricheux. For a moment there was a silence-the silence of utter mutual astoni

d, "you are

s tone stung An

"You don't sound altogether

repressed annoyance. "It doesn't make much differenc

me reason which she could not fathom he found her a

stily. "The fact that I happen to be your agent's sister d

ere here I wouldn't have come

she added with perfunctory politeness. She seated herself,

day, weren't you? I'd forgo

s being assured that they

led with suppres

r any message for you

is which transformed the harsh lines of his face and which see

nd can't we be friends? After all, I've some sort of claim. I pulled you

er. It was as though for a moment a prickly, ungracious husk had dropped away, revealing the real man

d round with a discontented expression. "Does the c

he replied whole-heartedly.

d or want sending down, you must let me know

g to complete my happiness," she answe

urpin. Do y

used, then added rather shyly: "I always seem to be thanking you for something, don't I?

hout a cob"-brief

no

ding him sometimes. D

nt you." His glance rested on her slim, boyish contours. "I've a little thorough

ustn't-" she began wi

re you going to do down here if you don't ride an

least an idle person. You lose the habit if you've earned your ow

ou done

asse

you know, and as my father didn't leave us

ecalling another woman he had known who had chosen to escape from poverty by a different road from the clean, straight one of hard work. She had funked

came the sound of the house-door opening

ounded almost like relief in his voice. He seemed glad of the d

an the latter. But Coventr

iven Miss Lovell and myself the oppor

om one to the o

t before, th

expl

ventry saved me from a watery grave on

gerous than a wetting,

in his ab

hing to be thankful for,

you

arette-case, and t

," he continued. "He's put in a list as lo

ughed good-

repairs now I've come back," he said. "What's the use of

ed Robin. "I expect the new owner of the Priory will get let in for the

bin?" inquired Ann quickly

ean? No, I didn't come

u say?" ask

ace. All the geniality had gone out of it. It was set and stern, and ther

of the Priory," explained Ro

e told me the name was Hilton. You don

ng about her. But Hilyar

fairly common," agr

te. But Ann noticed that Coventry seemed curiously abstracted. He allowed his cigarette to smoulder between his fingers till it went out beneath their pressure, and presently, bringing the discussion w

estate matters, but over dinner in the evening she broached the subject u

r. Coventry's expression

yar

y from one of Maria's bea

oking at him particularly. He thought she w

nto a small ga

he demanded dramatically of the universe at large. "My dear," she wen

uld it?" demanded

. Hilyard must have played a rather important par

ours if she did," respond

who's bought the Priory happened to be the othe

knew a Mrs. Hilyard at all, and if he did-

f a romance lying dormant in the past life of a man of her acquaintance, and An

agreed. "But still, one may take an intelligen

n. "I'm here as Coventry's agent, and my empl

anner-only a suspicion, but it was quite sufficient to aro

yer," she retorted. "So I've a perfe

n to Mr. Coventry," mai

curled up in a mutinous s

as you can an electric wire-at least, not

dmitted, smiling back unwilling

olden-brown eyes, and when, after dinner was over, Maria brought in the coffee, Ann threw out a tentat

age about the new lady as has taken th

of detachment, and watched Robin fi

to gossip, Maria," s

ve all you hear, and 'tis early days to speak, seein

eeling that she spent the night

ks are saying," she added darkly. "I'd run out of sugar, so I just stepped round to the grocer this evening after tea, and he told me 't

of annoyance br

eving!" he exclaimed angrily. "Here's an absolute new-comer arrives in the

isn't true. But they say her clothes do be good enough for the highest lady in the land. Mrs. Thorowgood-her that's been helping up to the Priory all day-called in on her way home just to pass the time of day with me. It seems

eal her mirth and reply

arable from pretty undies in Silverquay, I'm afraid I shall g

Twouldn't be fitting for any Miss Lovell of Lovell Court to have things that wasn't of the very best. And as to telling up

ia picked up the coffee tray and stalked out of the