"Now," said Mrs Payne, as we alighted at their own door, "you must get to bed as quickly as possible, my dear! I know it is not very late, but I don't want you to go back to Lady Bretton looking any less well for your two or three days with us. In the first place, however, come into the dining-room, where we shall find sandwiches or something of the kind," and she led the way thither, I following.
To my surprise, as she entered, she gave a little cry, not of alarm, but of astonishment and pleasure.
"My dear boy," she exclaimed, "so you have got back to-night after all! Miss Fitzmaurice," and she turned to me, "this is my eldest son, Clarence; we did not expect him home till to-morrow."
I came forward with no very great sensation of interest or curiosity, feeling, indeed, just a little bored at having to talk polite nothings to another stranger, when I was conscious of being rather sleepy and a little dazzled by the sudden light, after the pleasant darkness during the drive home. But no sooner had I caught a glimpse of the man who had risen from his seat on our entrance and was on the point of approaching me with outstretched hand in response to his mother's introduction, than all my wits and perceptions awoke to their keenest. I could scarcely repress an exclamation of amazement, for there stood before me the unknown whom Moore and I, and indeed Isabel herself, in the first place, had dubbed with so many designations--"the mysterious stranger"--"the man of the pocket-book"--"our good Samaritan," and so on!
And although Clarence Payne was in some respects more at a disadvantage than I, never having seen me except with a hat on, and, as far as I remember, a veil as well, it was instantly evident that he too recognised me!
"Miss--" he exclaimed, and his mother, thinking he had not caught my name, interrupted him before he had time to repeat it.
"Miss Fitzmaurice," he resumed, "I am--" then stopped short.
We looked at each other, on both sides waiting for a cue, the young man evidently quite in the dark as to whether I would wish him to appear to recognise me or not, and I, for my part, feeling something of the same nature as regarded him. But we were both too naturally, I think I may say, ingenuous, too _young_ perhaps, to act a part without distinct reason. We gazed at each other for less time by far than it has taken me to describe the little scene, then--and after all I think it was the best ending of it--we both burst out laughing, the half-nervousness which had so culminated melting into real amusement as we caught sight of Mrs Payne's amazed face.