"Yes my love; it is very strong to-night."
"I shall be in about ten minutes, my dear."
"Can you guess ten minutes, Mr. Haveloc?"
Mr. Haveloc looked at his watch, and could not distinguish the figures. Margaret thought she could see better. He held the watch to her--she pored over it in vain.
"Mr. Grey is not very particular," said Mr. Haveloc, "I think I may venture."
They walked on to the end of the terrace.
"Do you recollect one day when I kept the dinner waiting," said Mr. Haveloc.
"Oh, yes! I remember," said Margaret with a sigh--it was the day that had begun her troubles with Hubert Gage. "Mr. Casement was so cross because he could not fathom your business with Mr. Grey."
"What a long deliverance we have had from the old monster," said Mr. Haveloc.
"Oh, yes! I was so glad when--" Margaret stopped short.
"When he was laid up with the rheumatism," added Mr. Haveloc, laughing.
"Oh, no! not exactly. One ought not to be glad of that; but really, I think I rejoiced that anything kept him out of the way."
"Gessina is growing quite fat," said Mr. Haveloc, as the beautiful creature bounded towards them.
"Stop! I am going to carry her," said Margaret stooping down.
"Cannot you trust me to do that?" asked Mr. Haveloc.
"No; because I am going to wrap her in a corner of my shawl."
"Stay, do not give her too much," said Mr. Haveloc, assisting in the distribution of the shawl, "you must take care of yourself, in the evening air."
"She has had so much running about to-day," said Margaret.
"Yes, I saw you taking her out to exercise this morning, before breakfast."
"Yes, with that Indian-rubber ball you made her a present of."
"You laugh, but it is a capital ball for Gessina to play with."
"I thought Gessina and her mistress both seemed to enjoy it very much."
"I did not know you were up then, Mr. Haveloc."
"Oh, it was! but then I had been sitting up half the night."
"I like to spend the day in your company."
Here a low growl that seemed hardly human, made both start violently. Margaret dropped Gessina. Mr. Haveloc turned sharply round.
"Ugh! little woman; are you going to give us tea to-night?" growled Mr. Casement.
"Oh, dear yes, Sir. I declare I did not know what time it was," said Margaret hastily.