"He"-- has it come to that?
Poor Margaret! If "he" represented a sorrow instead of a happiness, would you confide that too to Lady Victoria?
Or would you feel the least shadow of annoyance because you miss him to-day?
Perhaps it is only habit.

You have schooled yourself to believe you ought to do without him, and you fancy you ought to be angry with yourself for transgressing your rule.

But what avails your schooling against the little god?
He will teach you a lesson you will not forget.

The day is sinking.

The warm earth is drinking out its cup of sunlight to the purple dregs thereof.