I will never have any mercy on you again."
He kissed her with all the renewed extravagance of love momentarily
denied, and the colour flooded back into Toby's face as the dread receded
from her heart. She gave him more that day than she had ever given him
before, and in the rapture of possession he forgot the ordeal that she
had made him face.
Only later did he remember it--her strange reticence, her odd stumbling
words of warning, her curious attitude of self-defence. And he felt as
if--in spite of his utmost resolution--she had somehow succeeded in
baffling him after all.
CHAPTER X
THE MYSTERY
It was late that evening that Bunny strolled forth alone to smoke a
reminiscent pipe along his favourite glade of larches in Burchester Park.
He went slowly through the summer dusk, his hands behind him, his eyes
fixed ahead. He had had his way with Toby. She had promised to marry him
as soon as old Bishop's retirement left the house in the hollow at his
disposal. But somehow, though he had gained his end, he was not conscious
of elation. Sheila Melrose's words had disturbed him no less than Toby's
own peculiar interpretation of them. There was a very strong instinct of
fair play in Bunny Brian, and, now that he had won his point, he was
assailed by a grave doubt as to whether he were acting fairly towards the
girl.
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