Had
she misunderstood--mistaken him? The bare idea sent a swift stab of fear
through her whole being. But in a few moments her faith in the man she
loved returned, and with it her serenity. She was ready to laugh at
herself. Probably, she reflected, he had merely been detained by some
unexpected piece of business which had cropped up necessitating his
attention--and, as a matter of fact, this was precisely what had occurred.
So that when at length she and Robin made their way down a shady path and
emerged on to the rectory lawn, dotted about with groups of people, and
she perceived Coventry's tall, lean figure in the distance, leaning rather
moodily against a tree, she reproached herself for having doubted him even
for an instant. While she was greeting Miss Caroline and the rector her
heart seemed to be singing a little paean of happiness all to itself.
"... so glad to see you." Ann came suddenly down to earth, and tried to
focus her attention on. Miss Caroline's hospitable gabble. "Such a lot of
people here this afternoon, too.... I'm so pleased. And a _beautiful_ day,
isn't it? Even Mr. Coventry has been tempted out of his shell. He'll be
quite a social acquisition to the neighbourhood soon, at this rate.
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