She found her opening all the windows in the dining-room. Meg shut the
door and sat on the polished table, lit a cigarette and regarded her own
pretty swinging feet with interest.

"How long does Mr. Tancred propose to stay?" she asked.

"How can I tell," Jan answered wearily, as she sat down in one of the
deep window-seats. "He has nowhere to go and no money to go with; and,
so far, except for a vague allusion to some tea-plantation in Ceylon, he
has suggested no plans. Oh, yes! I forgot, there was something about
fruit-farming or vine-growing in California, but I fancy considerable
capital would be needed for that."

"And how much longer do you intend to keep Mr. Ledgard waiting for _his_
visit?"

"It would be small pleasure for Mr. Ledgard to come here with Hugo, and
horrid for Hugo, for he knows perfectly well what Peter ... Mr. Ledgard
thinks of him."

"But if friend Hugo knew Mr. Ledgard was coming, might it not have an
accelerating effect upon his movements? You could give him his
fare--single, mind--to Guernsey. Let him go and stay with his people for
a bit."

Jan shook her head. "I can't turn him out, Meg; and I'm not going to let
Mr. Ledgard waste his precious leave on an unpleasant visit. If I could
give him a good time it would be different; but after all he did for us
while we were in Bombay, it would be rank ingratitude to let him in for
more worries at home."

"Perhaps he wouldn't consider them worries. Perhaps he'd _like_ to
come."

Jan's strained expression relaxed a little and she smiled with her eyes
fixed on Meg's neat swinging feet. "He _says_ he would."

"Well, then, take him at his word. We can turn the excellent Withells on
to Hugo. Let him instruct Hugo in the importance of daily free
gymnastics after one's bath and the necessity for windows being left
open at the top 'day and night, but _especially_ at night.' Let's tell
that Peter man to come."

Jan shook her head.

"No, I've explained the situation to him and begged him not to consider
us any more for the present. We must think of the maids too. You see,
Hugo makes a good deal of extra work, and I'm afraid Hannah might turn
grumpy if there was yet another man to do for."

Meg thoughtfully blew beautiful rings of smoke, carefully poked a small
finger exactly into the centre of each and continued to swing her feet
in silence.

Jan leaned her head against the casement and closed her eyes.

Without so much as a rustle Meg desc