Or
perhaps--but this possibility did not occur to her--he sensed a
cordiality in the atmosphere which had never been present before.
When the squire came down they were all chatting amicably round the
fire, and he smiled swift approval upon his wife ere he turned to greet
his guests.
"Hullo, Dick!" he said, as their hands met. "Still running the same
old show?"
"For the present, sir," said Dick.
They had not met since the occasion of Dick's and Juliet's marriage when
the squire had come over immediately before the sailing of the _Night
Moth_ to be present, and to give her away. He had been very kind to them
both during the brief hour that he had spent with them, and the memory
of it still lingered warmly in Juliet's heart. She had grown very fond of
the squire.
There were no awkward moments during that dinner which was more like a
family gathering than Juliet had thought possible. The change in Vera
amazed her. She was like a traveller who after long and weary journeying
in shady places had come suddenly into bright sunshine. And she was
younger, more ardent, more alive, than Juliet had ever seen her.
The same change was visible, though not so noticeable, in the squire.
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