She was caught as
surely as she had been the night before.
"Hullo!" smiled Sir Eustace, with extended hand. "Going out for a last
look round? May I come too?"
She felt the dominance of his grip. It was coolly, imperially possessive.
To answer his request seemed superfluous, even bordering upon
presumption. It was obvious that he had every intention of accompanying
her.
She gave a confused murmur of assent, and they passed through the
vestibule side by side. She was conscious of curious glances from several
strangers who were standing about, and Eustace exchanged a few words with
a species of regal condescension here and there as they went. And then
they were out in the pure sunlight of the mountains, alone for the last
time in their paradise of snow.
Almost instinctively Dinah turned up the winding track. They had half an
hour before them, and she felt she could not bear to stand still. He
strolled beside her, idly smoking, not troubling to make conversation,
now as ever sublimely at his ease.
The snow sparkled around them like a thousand gems Dinah's eyes were
burning and smarting with the brightness. And still that tender
waltz-music ran lilting through her brain, drifting as it were through
the mist of her unshed tears.
Suddenly he spoke. They were nearing the pine-wood and quite alone. "Is
there anything the matter?"
She choked down a great lump in her throat before she could speak in
answer.
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