Trayton Harrod did come to supper the next day.  
I remember that mother him for having been so many days absent, and that he made some kind of an excuse for himself; and I remember that I blushed as he made it, and felt quite awkward when he shook hands with me and asked if I had taken any cold of the night before. But I was happy—very, very happy. I was happy even in fancying that I saw a certain self-consciousness in him also, in the with which he talked to mother, and in something that crossed his face when our eyes met, which was almost as often as his were not on Joyce, where she sat in her old place by the window.
 
Every one always was struck with Joyce at first, and I had been so anxious that Harrod should duly admire her that I had purposely refrained from saying much to raise his expectations, so that no doubt his surprise was as great as his ; and I had never seen my sister look handsomer than she did that night.
 
There was a little increased air of dignity about her since she had been to London, and had been thrown a little more on her own resources, which sat with a pretty style upon her and modest loveliness. She looked people in the face as she never used to do, raising her eyes without lifting that little head of hers that was always just slightly , like some regal lily or tulip. She talked a little more, and she blushed seldomer.
 
She did not talk much to Mr. Harrod, but then he was very busy explaining his scheme of water-supply to Mr. Hoad, who had dropped in to supper. But she talked quite brightly to Broderick when he came, as he had promised, to bid her welcome home, and shone in her very best light, just as I had wished she should shine—the beautiful hostess of our home.
 
It was a happy evening, typical of our happy home-life, that, flecked as it may have been by little troubles, as the summer sky is flecked with clouds, was yet fair and warm as the bright July days that followed one another so radiantly.
 
Ah me, how little I guessed that night that there were not many more such happy family parties in store for us when we should sit around that board united, and without a gap in the family circle! It is good that we cannot see into the future. No cloud me that night; no fears for myself nor for any of those whom I loved; I was absorbed in that one , all-engrossing dream which was slowly beginning to fill my life.
 
Absorbed, yet not quite so much absorbed but that I could feel sorry for my sister's sake that one who had been there was now absent: where Frank Forrester had been Trayton Harrod now was. I could not honestly say to myself that I wished it differently, but I was sorry for Joyce. She, however, did not seem to be , she was very bright; the gladness she had in being at home again gave her beauty just that touch of sparkle which it sometimes lacked.
 
It was a warm evening, and when supper was over we drew our chairs around the low porch that led onto the lawn, and took our ease in the half-light. It was very rarely that we sat thus idle, but sometimes, of summer evenings, mother was fond of a bit of leisure herself, and she never made us work when she was idle. The of the sweet-peas and the roses came heavy upon the air; the dusk was still with lingering daylight, or with a moon that had not yet risen.
 
"I hear you have got Southdowns into your flock, Harrod," said the squire. "I hope you won't have any difficulty with them. I feel confident they ought to do, but when I tried the experiment it certainly failed."
 
"Perhaps they weren't carefully looked after," answered Harrod. "Of course you have got to acclimatize animals just as well as people, and the more carefully the more delicate they are."
 
"Ah, I dare say it may be a matter of management," agreed the squire. "I hadn't a very good shepherd at the time."
 
"I don't leave it to a shepherd," said Harrod. "Shepherds are clever enough, and there are plenty of things I learn from them and think no shame of it; but they know only what experience has taught them, and these shepherds have no experience of Southdowns. Besides, they are a prejudiced lot, and they set their faces against new ventures."
 
The squire laughed, a laugh in which Mr. Hoad—subdued as he always was by Mr. Broderick's presence—ventured to join.
 
"Yes, you're right there," he said. "You get it hot and strong, I dare say, all round. They snigger at you pretty well in the village for this water scheme of yours, I can tell you, Mr. Bailiff."
 
My cheek flamed, and Mr. Hoad went down one step lower still in my estimation.
 
"I dare say," said Harrod, shortly, and he said it in a tone of voice as much as to say, "and I don't care."
 
"But it's a very clever thing, isn't it?" asked dear old mother, in her gentle voice. "I never could have believed such a thing was possible."
 
I could have said that Reuben declared it was not possible, but I would not have told on Reuben for worlds.
 
"It's not a new discovery," answered the squire, who had taken no notice of the , and took mother's question to himself, "but it's a very useful one."
 
"I wonder you haven't thought of using it before for the ," put in father. "You must need a deal of water there."
 
I felt a glow of satisfaction at seeing father stand up for Harrod; for, as far as I knew anything of their discussions, I had fancied he was not very keen upon the scheme.
 
"I had thought of it," answered Mr. Broderick; "but I didn't think I could afford it. I didn't think it would pay for one individual."
 
I fancied father was at this. He began tapping his foot in the old way, which I had not noticed in him of late; for, as I had remarked to Joyce on her return, I thought he was far less peppery than he used to be, and I fancied it was a good sign for his health.
 
"Neither do we think it will pay for one individual," said he. "We intend to make many individuals pay for it."
 
He said "we" and I was pleased.
 
"Well, of course I shall have the water laid on to the Manor, and am grateful to the man who started the thing," said the squire, in a conciliatory tone; "but I'm a little doubtful as to your making a good job of it all round. Marshlands folk are very and old-fashioned."
 
"Oh, they'll come to see which side their bread's buttered on in the long-run," declared Harrod, confidently.
 
But Mr. Hoad smiled a smile, and the squire added: "I'm afraid it will cost you a good bit of money meanwhile, Maliphant. However, as I sincerely hope you are going to make your fortune over these new hop-fields, it won't signify." It was, to say the least of it, an indiscreet speech, not to say an unallowable one; for I believe there is nothing a man dislikes so much as having his affairs talked of in public. It was not at all like the squire, and I could not help thinking, even at the time, that Harrod must have in some way Mr. Broderick, although I was very far from guessing at the cause of the .
 
Father rose and walked slowly down to the edge of the cliff. I could not tell whether he did it to keep his temper or to his trouble, for I fancied he looked troubled as he passed me.
 
"The are a splendid crop now," said Harrod, without moving, as he lighted a fresh pipe. He never allowed himself to show if he were vexed.
 
But the squire did not reply. He rose and followed father. I'm sure he was sorry for what he had said. It was the solicitor who answered.
 
"It ought to be a fine crop," he said. "Maliphant paid a long price for it."
 
"How do you know what price he paid for it?" asked Harrod, sharply.
 
I fancied Mr. Hoad looked disconcerted for a moment, but he soon recovered himself.
 
"Well, to tell the truth, he did me the honor to ask my advice," he replied, with a sort of smile that I longed to shake him for. "No offence to you, Mr. Harrod, I hope," he added, . "I know Maliphant holds your opinion in the highest ; but—well, I'm an old friend."
 
My blood boiled in the most absurd way; but Harrod was far too wise to be annoyed, or at any rate to show it. He only remained silent, smoking his pipe.
 
Father and the squire came up the lawn again; I wondered what they had said to each other. The evening was fresh and after the rain of the night before upon the hot earth; the dusky plain lay calm beneath us; the moon had just risen and lit the sea faintly in the distance; nature was quiet and sweet, but I felt somehow as though the pleasure of our evening was a little spoiled. Mother tried to pick up the talk again, but she was not altogether lucky in her choice of subjects.
 
"Why, squire, the girls tell me the right-of-way is closed a............