Then with the March twilight she was again at Mannering. She changed
her bicycling dress, and six o'clock found her at her desk,
obediently writing from the Squire's dictation.
He put her through a stiff series of geographical notes, including a
number of quotations from Homer and Herodotus, bearing on the spread
of Greek culture in the Aegean. During the course of them he broke
out once or twice into his characteristic sayings and illustrations,
racy or poetic, as usual, and Elizabeth would lift her blue eyes,
with the responsive look in them, on which he had begun to think all
his real power of work depended. But not a word passed between them
on any other subject; and when it was over she rose, said a quiet
good-night, and went away. After she had gone, the Squire sat over
the fire, brooding and motionless, for most of the evening.
One March afternoon, a few days later, the following letter reached
Pamela, who was still with her sister. It was addressed in Desmond
Mannering's large and boyish handwriting.
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