For
since she had left school I had grown fonder of her; and now that it was
difficult to see her, I took the more pains to accomplish it, and met her
sometimes in Manor Woods, and more than once, when Maskew was away, had
walked with her on Weatherbeech Hill. So we bred up a boy-and-girl
affection, and must needs pledge ourselves to be true to one another, not
knowing what such silly words might mean. And I told Grace all my
secrets, not even excepting the doings of the contraband, and the Mohune
vault and Blackbeard's locket, for I knew all was as safe with her as
with me, and that her father could never rack aught from her. Nay, more,
her bedroom was at the top of the gabled wing of the Manor House, and
looked right out to sea; and one clear night, when our boat was coming
late from fishing, I saw her candle burning there, and next day told her
of it. And then she said that she would set a candle to burn before the
panes on winter nights, and be a leading light for boats at sea. And so
she did, and others beside me saw and used it, calling it 'Maskew's
Match', and saying that it was the attorney sitting up all night to pore
over ledgers and add up his fortune.
So this night as I lay awake I vexed and vexed myself for thinking of
her, and at last resolved to go up next morning to the Manor Woods and
lie in wait for Grace, to tell her what was up, and that we were going
away to Worth.
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