and over again.

"Perhaps you are right, Hugo," she said quietly. "You must arrange as
you think best; only please remember that you can hardly expect me to
contribute to the keeping of the children if I am allowed no voice in
their upbringing. Have you consulted your parents as to their living
with them in Guernsey? Shall we go out? It's such a beautiful evening."

Hugo followed her into the hall and out into the garden. Involuntarily
he looked after her with considerable admiration. She held herself well,
that quiet woman. She waited for him in the drive, and as she did so
Tony's words came back to her: "I used to feel frightened inside, but I
wouldn't let him know it, and then--it was funny--but quite sunnly I
wasn't frightened any more. You try it."

* * * * *

Jan had tried it, and, again to quote Tony, "it just happened."

CHAPTER XXIV

"THE WAY OF A MAN WITH A MAID"

Peter began to feel annoyed. More and more clearly did he realise that
his chief object in coming home was to see Jan again; and here was he,
still in London in the third week of June, and never so much as a
glimpse of her.

Her last letter, too, had postponed his visit indefinitely, and he
almost thought she was not treating him quite fairly. It was, of course,
a confounded bore that Hugo Tancred should have turned up just now, but
Peter saw no reason for staying away for ever on that account. He knew
Wren's End was a good-sized house, and though he appreciated Jan's
understanding of the fact that he wouldn't exactly choose to be a
fellow-guest with such a thoroughly bad hat as Hugo Tancred, still he
considered it was laying too much stress upon the finer shades of
feeling to keep him away so long.

His aunt was delighted to have him; London was very pleasant; he had
dined out quite a number of times, attended some big parties, seen all
the best plays, and bought or ordered all the new clothes he needed, and
a good deal that he didn't need at all. He had also bought a motor to
take out with him. It was more than time to get within range of the main
objective of his leave.

Suggestions that Jan _must_ have shopping to do and might as well come
up for a day or two to do it only elicited the reply that she had no
money for shopping and that it was most unlikely that she would be in
London again for ages.

She hadn't answered his last letter, either, which was another
grievance.

Then came a letter