gates. He looked up at the venerable trees, then pointed to the
tarnished coronets that crowned the ironwork, itself rather rusty.

"A fresh coat of paint wanted!" he observed with his chilly smile--and I
really did not know whether his remark involved a reference to our
previous conversation or not.

[Illustration: "_A fresh coat of paint wanted!_"]

CHAPTER XXVI

PEDIGREE AND BIOGRAPHY

The forms were observed most punctiliously; but before the forms began
came Lacey, hot from his talk with Fillingford, amazed, almost
bewildered, protesting against Jenny's excessive munificence,
passionately anxious that she should be sure that he had not foreseen
it.

"And how can you believe I never thought of it, when it's just what I
ought to have thought of--just the sort of thing you would be sure to
want to do?"

"I haven't forgotten your appalling misery, if you have," she retorted,
smiling. "I was really afraid you'd kill yourself before Austin had time
to get to the Manor. It was quite convincing as to your innocence of my
wicked designs, believe me!"

"But I can't possibly accept it," he declared. "It's so overwhelming!"

"You're not asked to accept a farthing, so you needn't be the least
overwhelmed. I give it to Margaret. No bride is to go from Breysgate
without a dowry, Amyas. Come, you'd put up with ten times as much
overwhelming for her sake." She threatened him playfully: "You can't
have her with any less--so take your choice!"

"Well, we shall always know who it is that we owe everything to." He
took her hand and kissed it. She looked at his handsome bowed head for a
moment.

"If you ever do think of anybody in that sort of way, try not to think
of me only."

Standing upright again, he looked at her gravely. "I know what you
mean." He flushed a little and hesitated. "I hope you know that--that he
and I parted--that day--in a--a friendly way?"

"I know it--and I'm very glad," she said. "That's all about the past,
Amyas, in words at least. Keep your thoughts as kind as you can--and be
very gentle to Margaret when she wants to talk about him. That's a good
return to me, if you want to make any. And love my Margaret."

"My love is for her. My homage is for you always--and all the affection
you'll take with it," he said soberly. "It's little she'd think of me if
that wasn't so," he added with a smile.

Then came the forms, but the first of them--Fillingford's coming--was no
mere form to Jenny.