Sad music was approaching, as if the person playing it came closer to the lake.
Neil quietly got out of the boat and gave his hand to Candy. Obeying the sudden feeling, the young people quietly approached the trunk of a tree, hidden by branches and foliage and pushed softly one of the branches.
It was Archie! He walked slowly, playing on this traditional instrument. Archibald was dressed in a Scottish costume, and Candy suddenly remembered the three brothers who said goodbye to her when she was due to leave for Mexico.
'Why he is dressed up like this?' Neil asked in a whisper, but Miss White heard anxiety in his voice.
Archie came very close to their tree and stopped. Sad music reached its culmination.
'He seems to be saying goodbye to someone,' Candy thought and suddenly saw a tear running from under the Archie's lowered lashes, leaving a wet path on his cheek.
He is crying! Archie is crying!
Candy moved forward to help and already wanted to call her friend, but she felt Neil clench her hand tightly, almost painfully.
'Let's go from here,' Neil whispered almost inaudible.
Miss White raised her eyes in surprise.
'But he…'
'I think he wants to be alone.'
'Yes, probably he is right,' the girl thought, silently stepping on the grass with her small shoes.
Daniel carefully took her in his arms and put her in a boat. Pulling off the shore, Neil slowly put the oars into the water so that the splash of water did not betray them.
They moved along the trees, and then sailed to the other side of the pond.
Archie was crying! But why?
Candy looked at Neil and saw that he also had a sad and very serious face.
When they met Archie at lunch, it felt like that scene at the pond was just a wraith.
Young Cornwell apologized that he did not congratulate them yesterday and brought them the most sincere, in his words, congratulations.
Actually, Archie became very nice, he did not attack Neil with hints, did not doubt out loud in their feelings and did not offer Candy to think more and did not make her hesitate about her choice.
It was extremely strange, as if a completely different person appeared instead of yesterday's Archi.
Candy turned to Neil, who moved his chair slightly closer to her than it was allowed and, meeting with his eyes, understood that he was also perplexed by this abrupt change.
Archie, in turn, watching the engaged couple, saw that their feelings were mutual and, although tried, he could not see Neil's inattention or disrespect to Candy.
If he did not know both of them so well, he would have thought that these two always loved each other - their eyes so shone, they tried to touch each other, their voices sound so casually and tenderly when they talked to each other.
Yes, he made the right decision. It's not possible to fight with love. He must stay as Candy's Knight and be able to protect her, if it would be necessary.
After lunch, Madame Elroy appeared and reminded the bride and groom of their duties.
Their duties consisted in responding to that pack of congratulatory letters that were lying on special tables, already neatly sorted out for those intended for Neil and for Candy.
'The rules of high society oblige us to answer each letter, to thank for each gift, even if it is insignificant, and it should be done no later than the next day after the engagement!' The old lady said strongly.
Restrained their sighs, the lovers winked and, taking each one's pile, went to the bedrooms to write the answers.
Candy had no doubt that Neil would like to deal with the answers as quickly as possible, and she also would.
The maid brought tea and cookies and neatly put it on the desk next to Miss White. Candy put aside another letter and crunched her finger knuckles.
'Oh! I didn't write so much since the time I was preparing for the exams.'
The maid smiled and went to the door.
Then Candy took the next letter and suddenly froze thunderstruck.
The girl would recognize this handwriting among thousands of others - neatly straight and firm, unlike the sweeping-impatient Neil's handwriting.
It was a letter from Terry!