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Madrid。'
'I don't doubt it for a moment；' said Somerset； with reserve。
Dare said no more； and presently the door opened； and there
stood Paula。
Somerset nodded to Dare to withdraw into an adjoining room；
and offered her a chair。
'You wish to show me the design you have prepared？' she asked；
without taking the seat。
'Yes； I have come round to your opinion。 I have made a plan
for the Greek court you were anxious to build。' And he
elevated the drawing…board against the wall。
She regarded it attentively for some moments； her finger
resting lightly against her chin； and said； 'I have given up
the idea of a Greek court。'
He showed his astonishment； and was almost disappointed。 He
had been grinding up Greek architecture entirely on her
account； had wrenched his mind round to this strange
arrangement； all for nothing。
'Yes；' she continued； 'on reconsideration I perceive the want
of harmony that would result from inserting such a piece of
marble…work in a mediaeval fortress； so in future we will
limit ourselves strictly to synchronism of stylethat is to
say； make good the Norman work by Norman； the Perpendicular by
Perpendicular； and so on。 I have informed Mr。 Havill of the
same thing。'
Somerset pulled the Greek drawing off the board； and tore it
in two pieces。
She involuntarily turned to look in his face； but stopped
before she had quite lifted her eyes high enough。 'Why did
you do that？' she asked with suave curiosity。
'It is of no further use；' said Somerset； tearing the drawing
in the other direction； and throwing the pieces into the
fireplace。 'You have been reading up orders and styles to
some purpose； I perceive。' He regarded her with a faint
smile。
'I have had a few books down from town。 It is desirable to
know a little about the architecture of one's own house。'
She remained looking at the torn drawing； when Somerset；
observing on the table the particle of swan's…down he had
found in the chair； gently blew it so that it skimmed across
the table under her eyes。
'It looks as if it came off a lady's dress；' he said idly。
'Off a lady's fan；' she replied。
'O； off a fan？'
'Yes； off mine。'
At her reply Somerset stretched out his hand for the swan's…
down； and put it carefully in his pocket…book； whereupon
Paula； moulding her cherry…red lower lip beneath her upper one
in arch self…consciousness at his act； turned away to the
window； and after a pause said softly as she looked out； 'Why
did you not accept our invitation to dinner？'
It was impossible to explain why。 He impulsively drew near
and confronted her； and said； 'I hope you pardon me？'
'I don't know that I can quite do that；' answered she； with
ever so little reproach。 'I know why you did not comeyou
were mortified at not being asked sooner！ But it was purely
by an accident that you received your invitation so late。 My
aunt sent the others by post； but as yours was to be delivered
by hand it was left on her table； and was overlooked。'
Surely he could not doubt her words； those nice friendly
accents were the embodiment of truth itself。
'I don't mean to make a serious complaint；' she added； in
injured tones； showing that she did。 'Only we had asked
nearly all of them to meet you； as the son of your illustrious
father； whom many of my friends know personally； andthey
were disappointed。'
It was now time for Somerset to be genuinely grieved at what
he had done。 Paula seemed so good and honourable at that
moment that he could have laid down his life for her。
'When I was dressed； I came in here to ask you to reconsider
your decision；' she continued； 'or to meet us in the drawing…
room if you could not possibly be ready for dinner。 But you
were gone。'
'And you sat down in that chair； didn't you； darling； and
remained there a long time musing！' he thought。 But that he
did not say。
'I am very sorry；' he murmured。
'Will you make amends by coming to our garden party？ I ask
you the very first。'
'I will；' replied Somerset。 To add that it would give him
great pleasure； etc。； seemed an absurdly weak way of
expressing his feelings； and he said no more。
'It is on the nineteenth。 Don't forget the day。'
He met her eyes in such a way that； if she were woman； she
must have seen it to mean as plainly as words： 'Do I look as
if I could forget anything you say？'
She must； indeed； have understood much more by this timethe
whole of his open secret。 But he did not understand her。
History has revealed that a supernumerary lover or two is
rarely considered a disadvantage by a woman； from queen to
cottage…girl； and the thought made him pause。
XIV。
When she was gone he went on with the drawing； not calling in
Dare； who remained in the room adjoining。 Presently a servant
came and laid a paper on his table； which Miss Power had sent。
It was one of the morning newspapers； and was folded so that
his eye fell immediately on a letter headed 'Restoration or
Demolition。'
The letter was professedly written by a dispassionate person
solely in the interests of art。 It drew attention to the
circumstance that the ancient and interesting castle of the De
Stancys had unhappily passed into the hands of an iconoclast
by blood； who； without respect for the tradition of the
county； or any feeling whatever for history in stone； was
about to demolish much； if not all； that was interesting in
that ancient pile； and insert in its midst a monstrous
travesty of some Greek temple。 In the name of all lovers of
mediaeval art； conjured the simple…minded writer； let
something be done to save a building which； injured and
battered in the Civil Wars； was now to be made a complete ruin
by the freaks of an irresponsible owner。 Her sending him the
paper seemed to imply that she required his opinion on the
case； and in the afternoon； leaving Dare to measure up a wing
according to directions； he went out in the hope of meeting
her； having learnt that she had gone to the village。 On
reaching the church he saw her crossing the churchyard path
with her aunt and Miss De Stancy。 Somerset entered the
enclosure； and as soon as she saw him she came across。
'What is to be done？' she asked。
'You need not be concerned about such a letter as that。'
'I am concerned。'
'I think it dreadful impertinence；' spoke up Charlotte； who
had joined them。 'Can you think who wrote it； Mr。 Somerset？'
Somerset could not。
'Well； what am I to do？' repeated Paula。
'Just as you would have done before。'
'That's what _I_ say；' observed Mrs。 Goodman emphatically。
'But I have already alteredI have given up the Greek court。'
'Oyou had seen the paper this morning before you looked at
my drawing？'
'I had；' she answered。
Somerset thought it a forcible illustration of her natural
reticence that she should have abandoned the design without
telling him the reason； but he was glad she had not done it
from mere caprice。
She turned to him and said quietly； 'I wish YOU would answer
that letter。'
'It would be ill…advised；' said Somerset。 'Still； if； after
consideration； you wish it much； I will。 Meanwhile let me
impress upon you again