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Miss Jones some old thing he would find somewhere； or he would go
out and pick for her some flowers。 She would be pleased with
anything。 He wondered what Charlotte would say when he gave her the
thimble。 She would like it； of course。 She would smile。 She would
open her eyes and look at him。 Fortunately he had the thimble even
now in his pocket。 He had bought it when he was wearing this same
suit。 Yes； he would give it to her。 As he decided this he looked at
Miss Jones guiltily； but she was making such odd faces as she
squinted to escape from the sun that he did not feel ashamed。
They came to that steep hill just beyond Garth woods； and Bob； of
course； refused to move。 The superb Le Page affair dashed past them；
shouted something at them； and disappeared over the brow of the
hill。 The last thing to be seen of them were the fierce despairing
eyes of the imprisoned Mary。 A strange sensation of relief instantly
settled upon the Coles。 For a moment they were alone； they began
slowly to walk up the hill； dragging with them the reluctant Bob。
About them was peace； absolute and unstained。 The hard glitter of
the day shone upon the white road； but behind them the wood was dark
and cool； a green cloud against the sky。 Behind the steep hedges the
harvesters were moving。 In the air a lark was singing； and along the
ditch at the road side a tiny stream tumbled。 And beyond these
sounds there was a vast tranquil silence。
The Coles moved up the hill very slowly； only Hamlet racing ahead to
find spots of shadow where he might lie down and pant。 They would
not confess to themselves that this promised to be the happiest
moment of their day。 They went bravely forward。
On the bend of the hill the Le Pages were waiting for them。 What
Mrs。 Cole had foreseen had in truth occurred。 The Le Page carriage
would not go down the Rafiel Lane。 No； it would； not。 。 。 Nothing
would induce it to。
〃James；〃 said Mrs。 Le Page to her stout and disdainful attendant。
〃Nothing； ma'am；〃 said James。
〃Dear me； dear me；〃 said Mrs。 Le Page。 〃Well then； we must walk；〃
said the deep despairing voice of the Pirate King。
And walk they did。
That walk was； as Mrs。 Cole afterwards said； 〃a pity；〃 because it
destroyed the Le Page tempers when the day was scarcely begun。 Mr。
Le Page was； it was quickly descried； not intended for walking。
Strong and fierce though he seemed； heat instantly crumpled him up。
The perfect crease of his white trousers vanished； his collar was no
longer spotless； little beads of perspiration appeared almost at
once on his forehead； and his black beard dripped moisture。 Mrs。 Le
Page； with her skirts raised； walked as though she were passing
through the Valley of Destruction； every step was a risk and a
danger； and the difficulty of holding her skirts and her sunshade at
the same time； and of seeing that her shoes were not soiled and her
hat not caught by an offending bough gave her face an expression of
desperate despair。
There was； unfortunately； one spot very deep down in the lane where
the ground was never dry even in the height of the hottest summer。
A little stream ran here across the path； and the ground on either
side was soft and sodden。 Mrs。 Le Page； struggling to avoid an
overhanging branch； stepped into the mud； one foot stuck there； and
it needed Mr。 Cole's strong arm to pull her out of it。
〃Charlotte！ Charlotte！〃 she cried。 〃Don't let Charlotte step into
that！ Mr。 Cole！ Mr。 Cole！ I charge youmy child！〃 Charlotte was
conveyed across； but the damage was done。 One of Mrs。 Le Page's
beautiful shoes was thick with mud。
When； therefore； the party； climbing out of the Lane； came suddenly
upon the path leading down to the Cove； with the sea； like a blue
cloud in front of them； no one exclaimed at the view。 It was a very
beautiful viewone of the finest of its kind in the United
Kingdom； the high rocks closing in the Cove and the green hills
closing in the rocks。 On the hill to the right was the Rafiel Old
Church； with its graveyard that ran to the very edge of the cliff；
and behind the Cove was a stream and a green orchard and a little
wood。 The sand of the Cove was bright gold； and the low rocks to
either side of it were a dark redthe handsomest place in the
world； with the water so clear that you could see down； far down；
into green caverns laced with silver sand。 Unfortunately； at the
moment when the Coles and their friends beheld it； it was blazing in
the sun； soon the sun would pass and； during the whole afternoon；
half of it at least would lie in shadow； but the Le Pages could not
be expected to think of that。
The basket was unloaded from the jingle and carried down to the
beach by Mr。 Cole and Jim。 Jeremy； finding himself at the side of
the lovely Charlotte； was convulsed with shyness； the more that he
knew that the unhappy Mary was listening with jealous ears。
Charlotte； walking like Agag； 〃delicately；〃 had a piteous expression
in her eyes as though she were being led to the torture。
Jeremy coughed and began： 〃We always come here every year。 Don't you
like it？〃
〃Yes；〃 she said miserably。
〃And we paddle and bathe。 Do you like bathing？〃
〃Going into the sea？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Oh； no！ Mother says I mustn't； because it'll hurt my hair。 Do you
like my hair？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Jeremy； blushing at so direct an invitation to
compliment。
〃Mother says I've got to be very careful of my hair because it's my
chief beauty。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Jeremy。
〃I have a maid； Alice； and she brushes a whole hour every morning
and a whole hour every evening。〃
〃Don't you get very tired？〃 asked Jeremy。 〃I know I should。〃
〃Mother says if you have such beautiful hair you must take trouble
with it；〃 Charlotte gravely replied。
Her voice was so like the voice of a parrot that Jeremy's
grandmother had once possessed that it didn't seem as though a human
being was speaking at all。 They were near the beach now and could
see the blue slipping in； turning into white bubbles； then slipping
out again。
〃Do you like my frock？〃 said Charlotte。
〃Yes；〃 said Jeremy。
〃It was bought in London。 All my clothes are bought in London。〃
〃Mary's and Helen's aren't；〃 said Jeremy with some faint idea of
protecting his sisters。 〃They're bought in Polchester。〃
〃Mother says；〃 said Charlotte； 〃that if you're not pretty it doesn't
matter where you buy your clothes。〃
They arrived on the beach and stared about them。 It became at once a
great question as to where Mrs。 Le Page would sit。 She could not sit
on the sand which looked damp； nor equally； of course； on a rock
that was spiky and hard。 What to do with her？ She stood in the
middle of the beach； still holding up her skirts； gazing desperately
about her； looking first at one spot and then at another。
〃Oh； dear； the heat！〃 she exclaimed。 〃Is there no shade anywhere？
Perhaps in that farm…house over there。 。 。〃 It was probable enough
that no member of the Cole family would have minded banishing Mrs。
Le Page into the farmhouse； but it would have meant that the whole
party must accompany her。 That was impossible。 They had come for a
picnic and a picnic they would have。
Mrs。 Cole watched； with growing