Pauline went away with Monica to spend the rest of August and the
beginning of September in the depths of the country, where, however, for
all the stillness of the ripe season, she did not find very great peace.
In every lane, in every wood, below the brow of every hill, she was
always half expecting to meet Guy. It was not until Monica was going to
her sisterhood, and that she came back to see TO LET staring from the
windows of Plashers Mead, that Pauline was able at last to realize what
she had irrevocably done.
On the day after her return Pauline went to see Miss Verney. To her she
explained that the engagement was at an end.
"I heard something about it," said Miss Verney. "And feeling sure that
it was doubtless on account of money, I must very impertinently beg you
to accept this."
Pauline looked at the packet the old maid had thrust into her hand.
"Those are deeds," said Miss Verney, importantly. "I have felt for some
time past that I do not really need all my money. My income, you know,
is very nearly two hundred and fifty pounds a year. One hundred pounds
would be ample, and therefore I hope _you_ will accept the surplus."
"My darling Miss Verney," said Pauline, "it could not be."
But the old maid was with very great difficulty persuaded of the
impossibility.
"And you mean to say," she gasped, "that you are never going to see each
other again?"
"Oh, sometimes," Pauline whispered--"sometimes I wonder if it could
really happen that Guy and I should never meet again. Please don't let's
talk about it. I shall come and see you often, but you mustn't ever talk
about Guy and me, will you?"
"I shall put this money aside," Miss Verney announced, "because I am
_most_ anxious to prove that one hundred pounds a year is ample for me.
Extravagance has always been my temptation!"
Later in the afternoon Pauline left her friend and went down Wychford
High Street towards home. There were great wine-dark dahlias in the
gardens, and the bell was sounding for Evensong. She knelt behind a
pillar, all of the congregation. How through this Winter that was coming
she would love her father and mother. And if Guy ever came back ... if
Guy ever came back....
She heard her father's voice dying away with the close of the Office;
and presently they walked about the golden churchyard, arm in arm.
"I shouldn't be surprised to see _Sternbergia lutea_ this year," he
observed. "We have had a lot of sun."
"Have we?" Pauline sighed.
"Oh yes, a great deal of sun."
Her father, of course, would never speak of that broken engagement, and
already she had made her mother promise never to speak of it again. Deep
to her inmost heart only these familiar vales and streams and green
meadows would speak of it for the rest of her life.