"He died very young," he continued. "But those four years must have been worth more than a lifetime to other men."
The marquess had said something uncomfortably similar. But then the marquess had been speaking with his customary irony at the time. Mr. Peabody was serious.
"He was well loved by his parishioners," she said. "And he was doing something he believed in and something he loved doing. And until the very last he enjoyed quite good health. Yes, sir, he would be the first to agree that he had a good life."
"He had a wife who made him the envy of all men," he said.
Diana smiled. "It is kind of you to say so," she said. "I did my best to be a good wife. Do you not think that Mr. Turner is embarrassed to have his birthday so publicly noticed?"
"Ah," he said, stopping walking and taking the hand that had been resting on his arm in both of his, "I see I have discomposed you, my dear Mrs. Ingram. I have made my admiration too obvious, perhaps?"
"I can only feel flattered, sir," she said. "Does your son return to university in the autumn?"
But he was not to be deterred. Try as she would to turn the conversation into other channels, he quite persistently forged ahead with the outpouring of his admiration and with the expression of the fond hope that she would make him the happiest of men.
"I am deeply honored, sir," she said, "but I cannot think of marriage with any man at the moment. My husband has been dead for only a little over a year."
It was perfectly understandable, of course. She was a serious young lady who had undoubtedly been deeply attached to a man of Teddy Ingrain's exemplary character. He would not expect an instant betrothal.Just a word of encouragement.Something to give himhopeover the long winter ahead.
Diana felt considerable distress. Mr. Thomas Peabody was not a man to despise or dislike. He was a perfectly worthy gentleman of middle years who appeared to have developed a serious attachment to her. And she feared that she had encouraged him more than she ought in order to avoid the attentions of another man.
"I am sorry," she said, trying to slide her hand from between his. "It would be wrong of me to say that perhaps next year I will feel differently. Sensible as I am of the honor you do me,sir,I do not believe I would ever wish for matrimony with you."
"It is my age?" he asked. "It is true that I could give you twenty years, my dear Mrs. Ingram, but I do assure you that I still enjoy the vigor of youth."
And he proceeded to try to prove his claim in a manner that had her recoiling in indignation.
"Sir!" she said, clasping her hands to her bosom and glaring down at his hands, which had grasped her waist.
''You must know that I find you adorable,'' he saids' 'Give me one word of hope, I beg of you."
"Ah," a voice said from close by."Some fellow mortals.Peabody, is it?And Diana?What a relief! I thought I was doomed to wander about the forest for the rest of my days. I have very little sense of direction, I'm afraid."
He was not the only one feeling relief. And if she was relieved to hear the voice and see the person of the Marquess of Kenwood, Diana thought, she must be in trouble indeed-
''You really are not far from the river,'' Mr. Peabody said, lowering his hands to his sides. "If you go straight back in the direction from which you came, Kenwood, you will reach the pavilion in no more than five minutes."
"You don't say so?" The marquess peered back through the trees with every appearance of great astonishment. "I fear I must have been walking in circles."
"We are going back there," Diana said. "We can go together, my lord."
Lord Kenwood stroked his chin and frowned. "There is a view to the castle from somewhere close to here, according to what the earl said at dinner last night," he said. "It was that spot I was looking for.
You do not know it, I suppose, Diana?"
"Yes, I do," she said. "But it would involve five minutes more of walking."
"Ah, splendid!" he said. "I believe we have the time. Will you act as my guide, ma'am? Peabody, perhaps you will beg that some food be saved for us if we happen to be late? That's a good fellow."
It was not clear whether Mr. Peabody realized that he had been outmaneuvered. When he closed his mouth, he bowed and turned back toward the river without another word.
Diana did realize, but she felt only relief at her rescue from embarrassment as she took the marquess's arm and turned to walk in the opposite direction.
11
They walked in silence for a couple of minutes until Diana, tense with the emotions of her encounter with Mr. Peabody, among which indignation and guilt figured most prominently, glanced up into the face of her companion. His eyes were gleaming and his lips were set in that way she had come to detest.
"Well, go on," she said, hearing the annoyance in her voice and incapable for the moment of doing anything about it, "say it."
