"Orders," said Percival. "My grandfather said you were to come in, and that I was to bring you a shawl." "What is the good of this thing if I'm to go in?" "Very sensibly put. Evidently no good at all. So we will turn round and go to the end of the terrace and back, unless you are tired." She was not tired. "And you took me for Horace? I always said we were alike." "You are not a bit alike." "Oh no, of course not." "Don't be absurd," said Sissy. "Anybody's like anybody if it's pitch dark and they don't speak." "I rather suspect Horace and I might be alike if it were a half-light, and if we _did_ speak," said Percival. "Remember the photograph. But where is Horace all this time? What have you been doing with yourself?" "He's somewhere about," said Sissy. "First of all, we had a little croquet. Then it got too dark to play, so I went to see after Aunt Harriet. Her head was worse; so she said she would go to bed." "Poor old lady! Best thing she could do. She'll be better to-morrow, I hope." "Then Horace and I thought we would go and look up his old nurse. She has been teasing me ever so long, wanting to see 'Master Horace,' and it's only across a couple of fields. But she wasn't at home, and the cottage was shut up." "Gone to Fordborough for the day, most likely." "I dare say. She has a niece there. Then we came back, and Horace didn't much want to go in, because of this afternoon, you know; so we stayed in the long walk, and he smoked and we listened to the nightingales." "Very delightful," said Percival. "The long walk and the nightingales, I mean." "And then there was a little pinkish light in the sky, and he thought there was a fire somewhere. So he went into the park to get a better view, and after I had waited for him a little while I came up here and met you." A quick step was heard on the gravel behind them. "Oh, here you are!" said Horace. "The fire doesn't seem to be anything, Sissy, after all. The light got fainter and fainter, and it's all gone now." "Where did you think it was?" Percival inquired. "Well, I thought from the direction that it must be at old Garnett's Upland Farm, but it can't have been much. So you have got back?" "Yes. Hadn't we better go in? You must mind what you are about, Horace, though it _is_ warm. That cough of yours--" "Stuff and nonsense about my cough!" But he turned to go in nevertheless. "By the way," said Percival, as he walked between them, "you've been out all the evening: does any one know I've been away?" "No," said Sissy. "Why, don't you want--" "I would rather they didn't," he replied. (The stars in their courses seemed to fight for Addie and her secret, had it not been for that untoward meeting with Silas Fielding.) Horace wore a knowing expression. He was rather pleased that his lecturer should be compelled to seek a pledge of secrecy from him. It made him feel more on a level with the well-conducted and independent Percival. "All right!" he said.