played to herself with no technique but much taste.

And of all her masters, Nature and the fearless study of her night moods
molded her soul the most.

For the first few months after John Derringham's visit Mr. Carlyon often
spoke of him and read aloud bits of his letters, and Halcyone listened
with rapt attention, but she never embarked upon the subject
herself--and then the Professor had an accident to his knee which kept
him a prisoner for months. And somehow the interest of this seemed to
dwarf less present things, and as time went on, John Derringham grew to
be mentioned only by fits and starts, when his rapidly rising political
career called forth cynical grunts of admiration from his old master.
There had been a dissolution of Parliament and a short term of office
for the other side, and then at the General Election John Derringham's
Chief had come in again stronger than ever, and he himself had been made
Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. It was a tremendous rise
for one so young. He was at that time not more than twenty-nine years
old--but two years before this happened, when Halcyone was about
fifteen, he came again to the orchard house for a short Saturday to
Monday visit.

From the moment that she knew he was coming a strange stillness seemed
to fall upon the child. She had grown long-legged and was at the
fledgling stage when even a pretty girl sometimes looks plain, and she,
who had as yet no claim to beauty, was at her worst. She was quite aware
of it, with her intense soul-worship of all beautiful things. Some
unreasoned impulse made her keep away from her master during the first
day, but on the Sunday he summoned her, and, as once before, she came
and poured out the tea, but it was a cold and windy autumn afternoon,