It was the first time she had been compelled to look at him, and she was painfully struck with the alteration in him. Her father was right; he certainly looked ill. He was thinner, older, and there were dark lines under his eyes. Just at that moment Cyril seemed to become aware of her scrutiny; their eyes met, but it was Audrey who blushed and looked embarrassed. Cyril did not flinch, only his right hand contracted under the table-cloth. She played chess with him afterwards. There was no help for it; Dr. Ross had proposed it. Audrey was so nervous that she played shamefully, and lost her queen at the third move. 'How stupid of me!' she said, trying to laugh it off. Cyril looked at her very gravely. 'I am afraid you find this a bore,' he said, with such evident understanding of her nervousness that the tears came to her eyes. When they had played a little longer, he suddenly jumbled the pieces together. 'It is unfair to take advantage of you any longer,' he said, jumping up; 'no one can play without a queen, and you have lost your castles and one of your knights, and I was just going to take the other. It is only trying your patience for nothing; the game is mine.' 'Yes, it is yours,' returned Audrey, in rather a melancholy voice. Why had he ended it so abruptly? Could he have noticed how her hand shook? How very nervous she had been! She did not dare look at him as he bade her good-night. 'I must go,' she heard him say to Dr. Ross. 'I have work to finish;' and then he went out, and she heard the door close behind him. 'Is it always to be like this?' thought Audrey, as she stood by her window. 'Will he never speak to me or look at me again in the old way? To-night he went away to spare me, because he saw how uncomfortable I was. He is very brave; I suppose a man's pride helps him. Somehow, I think it is easier for him than me. Perhaps I am different from other women, but I always feel as though I would rather bear pain myself than inflict it on another person.' CHAPTER XXII 'NO, YOU HAVE NOT SPARED ME' 'Thy word unspoken thou canst any day Speak; but thy spoken ne'er again unsay.' _Eastern Proverb_--TRENCH. Michael was still away. The business that detained him was not to be settled as easily as he had expected; there were complications--a host of minor difficulties. He was unwilling to return until things were definitely arranged.