“We can only use words, even when we feel that we could get beyond words. Music goes farther, and colour, and growth. I don’t think you will ever hurt the child if you are the child with her.” “Yes, I understand.” * * * * * CHAPTER X TEA IN THE WILDERNESS Canterton needed pictures of the Italian gardens at Latimer Abbey, and since he had received permission to show the Latimer gardens in his book, it devolved upon Eve Carfax to make a pilgrimage to the place. Latimer, a small country town, lay some seventy miles away, and Canterton, who knew the place, told Eve to write to the George Hotel and book a room there. The work might take her a week, or more, if the weather proved cloudy. Canterton wanted the gardens painted in full sunlight, with all the shadows sharp, and the colours at their brightest. The day before Eve’s journey to Latimer was a “Wilderness day.” Lynette had made Eve promise to have a camp tea with her in the dell among the larches. “Daddy says you like sweet cakes.” “Daddy’s a tease.” “I asked Sarah, and she’s made a lot of lovely little cakes, some with chocolate ice, and some with jam and cream inside.” “I shan’t come just for the cakes, dear.” “No!” “But because of you and your Wilderness.” “Yes, but you will like the cakes, won’t you? Sarah and me’s taken such a lot of trouble.” “You dear fairy godmother! I want to kiss you, hard!” They started out together about four o’clock, Eve carrying the tea-basket, and Lynette a red cushion and an old green rug. The heath garden on the hill-side above the larch wood was one great wave of purple, rose, and white, deep colours into which vision seemed to sink with a sense of utter satisfaction. The bracken had grown three or four feet high along the edge of the larch wood, so that Lynette’s glowing head disappeared into a narrow green lane. It was very still and solemn and mysterious in among the trees, with the scattered blue of the sky showing through and the sunlight stealing in here and there and making patterns upon the ground. They were busy boiling the spirit kettle when Canterton appeared at the end of the path through the larch wood. “Queen Mab, Queen Mab, may I come down into your grotto?” Lynette waved to him solemnly with a hazel wand. “Come along down, Daddy Bruin.” He climbed down into the dell laughing. “That is a nice title to give a parent. I might eat you both up.” “I’m sure you’d find Miss Eve very nice to eat.” “Dear child!” “How goes the kettle?” “We are nearly ready. Here’s the rug to sit on, daddy. Miss Eve’s going to have the red cushion.” “The cushion of state. What about the cakes?” “Sarah’s made such lovely ones.” Eve’s eyes met Canterton’s. “It was ungenerous of you to betray me.” “Not at all. It was sheer tact on my part.”