Page:HG Wells--secret places of the heart.djvu/245

233 same world you visited at Pompeii. Bath is Pompeii overlaid by Jane Austen’s England.”

He paused for a moment. “We can wire to your agents from here before we start and we can pick up their reply at Gloucester or Nailsworth or even Bath itself. So that if your father is nearer than we suppose—— But I think to-morrow afternoon will be soon enough for Falmouth, anyhow.”

He stopped interrogatively.

Miss Grammont’s face was white. “That will do very well,” she said.

They started, but presently they came to high banks that showed such masses of bluebells, ragged Robin, great stitchwort and the like that Belinda was not to be restrained. She clamoured to stop the car and go up the bank and pick her hands full, and so they drew up by the roadside and Sir Richmond and Miss Grammont sat down near the car while Belinda carried her enthusiastic onslaught on the flowers up the steep bank and presently out of earshot.

The two lovers said unheeded things about the flowers to each other and then fell silent. Then Miss Grammont turned her head and seemed deliberately to measure her companion’s distance. Evidently she judged her out of earshot.