Fortunately for them both, Crispin, alert and cheery, entered the court with Justinian, and they came towards the couple with careless unconsciousness. Justinian, indeed, did cast a rapid glance at the flushed faces of the pair, which betrayed their late emotion, but, far from being angry, an imperceptible smile passed over his lips, as if he were quite satisfied that this should be so.
“Helena!” said Crispin, coming forward and kissing her hand; “I am so delighted to see you again! You are more lovely than ever.”
“Maurice says English gentlemen do not pay ladies compliments.”
“Don’t they?” answered Crispin humorously. “My dear Maurice, that storm last night must have destroyed your memory. So you two have met?”
“Quite unexpectedly,” declared Maurice hastily. “I came to look for you, Crispin, and, glancing into this court, I saw Helena, so we have been talking ever since.”
“And Maurice has been telling me about England,” said Helena, clapping her hands together with a burst of girlish laughter, delicious as the carol of a thrush.
“Maurice! Helena!” repeated Justinian, smiling. “Really, you young people are getting on very well together.”
“Your daughter had some difficulty in saying Roylands,” said Maurice apologetically.
“And you do not know Helena’s other name, eh?”
“What is her other name, sir? If you don’t like me to call her Helena, shall I say Miss”—
“You can say Helena,” answered Justinian shortly; “she has no other name.”
“No; we are simple people here,” observed Crispin mischievously, “and dispense with such cumbersomeness as two names;—Justinian, Helena, Crispin, Andros; so you, Roylands, will drop your harsh English surname, and be henceforth known as Maurice.”
“I am quite content to be so as long as Helena speaks the name!”
“Another compliment!” laughed Crispin gayly; “I thought, according to you, gentlemen never paid ladies compliments?”
“This is the exception to prove the rule.”
“Helena,” said her father suddenly, “where is Andros?”
“I do not know. He was here an hour ago, and said he would be back to supper.”
“It is supper-time now,” said Justinian, moving towards the side entrance. “You must be hungry, gentlemen. I trust you feel quite recovered?”
“Speaking for myself, I do,” answered Maurice brightly; “that sleep has quite set me up. And Crispin”—