unch?" he asked
carelessly. "I've got to go over to Heston. I should be delighted to
take you."

"I should love it--if I can bring Gladys."

He did not answer for a moment, then:

"Oh, bring Gladys by all means," he said rather dryly.

"What time?"

"I'll call for you at two--If that will do."

They had reached the house again now; Christine got out of the car and
stood for a moment with one foot on the step looking up at Kettering.

There was a little silence.

"How long have we known each other?" he asked suddenly.

She looked up startled--she made a rapid calculation.

"Nearly three weeks, isn't it?" she said then.

He laughed.

"It seems longer; it seems as if I must have known you all my life."

The words were ordinary enough, but the look in his eyes brought the
swift colour to Christine's cheeks--her eyes fell.

"Is that a compliment?" she asked, trying to speak naturally.

"I hope so; I meant it to be."

Her hand was resting on the open door of the car; for an instant he
laid his own above it; Christine drew hers quickly away.

"Well, we'll be ready at two, then," she said. She turned to the
house. Kettering drove slowly down the drive. He was a very
fine-looking man, Christine thought with sudden wistfulness; he had
been so kind to her--kinder than anyone she had ever known. She was
glad he was going to have Upton House, as it had got to be sold. He
had promised her to look after it, and not have any of the trees in the
garden cut down.

"It shall all be left just as it is now," he told her.

"Perhaps some day you'll marry, and your wife will want it altered,"
she said sadly.

"I shall never get married," he had answered quickly.

She had been glad to hear him say that; he was so nice as a friend,
somehow she did not want anyone to come along and change him.

She went into the house and called to Gladys.

"I thought you would think we were lost perhaps," she said laughingly,
as she thrust her head into the morning-room where Gladys was sitting.

The elder girl looked up; her voice was rather dry when she answered:
"No, I did not think that."

Christine threw her hat aside.

"I can't drive a bit," she said petulantly. "I'm so silly! I nearly
ran into the wall at the gate."

"Did you?"

"Yes. Gladys, we're going over to Heston at two o'clock with Mr.
Kettering."

Gladys looked up.

"We! Who do you mean by 'we'?"

"You and I, of course."

"Oh"--there was a mom