Dr. Hamilton smiled at the little troubled face under the big sunbonnet . Mary Isabel had to wear a sunbonnet . She would never have done it from choice . `` What is the matter ? '' asked the doctor , in his big , breezy , old-bachelor voice . He had another voice for sick-beds and rooms of bereavement , but this one suited best with the purring of the waves and winds . `` How do you know that anything is the matter ? '' Mary Isabel parried demurely . `` By your face . Come now , tell me what it is . '' `` It is really nothing . I have just been foolish , that is all . I wanted a hat with forget-me-nots and a grey silk , and Louisa says I must have black and a bonnet . '' The doctor looked indignant but held his peace . He and Mary Isabel had tacitly agreed never to discuss Louisa , because such discussion would not make for harmony . Mary Isabel 's conscience would not let the doctor say anything uncomplimentary of Louisa , and the doctor 's conscience would not let him say anything complimentary . So they left her out of the question and talked about the sea and the boats and poetry and flowers and similar non-combustible subjects . * * * * * These clandestine meetings had been going on for two months , ever since the day they had just happened to meet below the firs . It never occurred to Mary Isabel that the doctor meant anything but friendship ; and if it had occurred to the doctor , he did not think there would be much use in saying so . Mary Isabel was too hopelessly under Louisa 's thumb .
She might keep tryst below the XXXXX occasionally -- so long as Louisa did n't know -- but to no farther lengths would she dare go .
Hamilton Isabel Louisa firs forget-me-nots left meetings months sea sick-beds