.

"I hope you mean it. You must eat some strawberries, please," she
begged. "Please do, or I shall feel so greedy. I had no idea one could
get such good things here."

Jacob did as he was told, drank some champagne cup, lit a cigarette,
and began to realise that he was having a very pleasant time. Lady
Mary chattered on gaily, telling Jacob who many of the people were and
exchanging greetings with a number of friends. Presently, at her
suggestion, they walked in the paddock, where she pointed out to him
the most wonderful of the toilettes, and it was not until the bell
rang for the last race that they climbed the steps once more to the
box.

"I have enjoyed myself more," she declared, "than any day this week.
Thank you so much for looking after me, Mr. Pratt."

"It has been a great pleasure," Jacob assured her. "I hope I haven't
kept you too long, and that your people won't be annoyed."

The Marchioness, however, received them without any sign of
displeasure and listened complacently to her daughter's account of
their doings.

"So nice of you, Mr. Pratt," she said, "to have looked after Lady
Mary. So many of our friends are not down to-day that I am sure she
would have had quite a dull time but for you. We shall see you on
Thursday."

"With great pleasure," Jacob answered truthfully.

CHAPTER XVII

"The aristocracy," Dauncey remarked the next morning, as he brought
Jacob his private letters, "is sitting up and taking notice of us. Two
coronets!"

"Anything in the rest of the correspondence?" Jacob enquired, as he
opened his desk and made himself comfortable.

"Nothing worth your troubling about. Five or six addle-headed schemes
for getting rid of your money, and about as many bucket shop
prospectuses."

Jacob opened the first of his two letters. It was dated from Belgrave
Square and was simply a cordial reminder from the Marchioness of his
promise to dine at Delchester House on the following Thursday. The
second was dated from the same address, and Jacob read it over twice
before he came to a decision.

Dear Mr. Pratt,

I know you will think me very foolish, but I am feeling
most unhappy about the money which I thoughtlessly accepted
this afternoon. It was really only a sovereign I asked you
to put on Gerrard's Cross for me, and the remainder of the
money, except nine pounds, surely belongs to you.

Are you, by any chance, ever near Kensington Gardens abo