The hair was very thick and very fair, though
already slightly grizzled. It lay in heavy curly masses across a broad
head, defining a strong brow above deeply set small eyes of a pale
conspicuous blue. The nose, aquiline and large; the mouth large also,
but thin-lipped and flexible; slight hollows in the cheeks, and a long,
lantern jaw. The whole figure made an impression of ease, power, and
self-confidence.
"So you like your old house?" he said, presently, to Diana, sitting down
beside her, and dropping his voice a little.
"It suits me perfectly."
"I am certain the moat is rheumatic! But you will never admit it."
"I would, if it were true," she said, smiling.
"No!--you are much too romantic. You see, I remember our conversations."
"Did I never admit the truth?"
"You would never admit it _was_ the truth. And my difficulty was to find
an arbiter between us."
Diana's face changed a little. He perceived it instantly.
"Your father was sometimes arbiter," he said, in a still lower
tone--"but naturally he took your side. I shall always rejoice I had
that chance of meeting him."
Diana said nothing, but her dark eyes turned on him with a soft friendly
look.
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