ve to leave at a moment's
notice."

"It will not be, at any rate, before the autumn, then?" I persisted.

"No!"

I drew a little breath of relief. I was reckless whether she heard it
or not. Suddenly she paused.

"Who is that?" she asked.

I recognized him at once--a small grey figure, standing on the top of a
sandhill a little way off, and regarding us steadily. It was the Duke.

"Your father!" I said.

We quickened our pace. If Lady Angela was in any way discomposed she
showed no signs of it. She waved her hand, and the Duke solemnly
removed his hat.

"I am so glad that he has come down before the others," she said. "I am
longing to have a talk with him. And I don't believe he knows anything
about Blenavon. No, he's far too cheerful."

She went straight up to him and passed her arm through his. He greeted
me stiffly, but not unkindly.

"I am so glad that you have come," she said. "If I had not heard I
should have telegraphed to you. I've seen it in all the papers."

"You approve?" I heard him ask quietly.

"Approve is not the word," she declared eagerly. "It is magnificent."

"I wonder," he asked, "if you realize what it means?"

"It simply doesn't matter," she answered, with a delightful smile. "I
can make my own dresses, if you like. Annette is a shocking nuisance to
me."

"I am afraid," he remarked, with an odd little smile, "that Blenavon
will scarcely regard the matter in the same light."

"Bother Blenavon!" she answered lightly. "I suppose you know that he's
gone off abroad somewhere?"

"I had a hurried line from him with information to that effect," the
Duke answered. "I think that it would have been more respectful if he
had called to see me on his way through London."

I heard her sigh of relief.

"Now, tell me," she begged, "where shall we begin? Cowes, Homburg, town
house, or Annette? I'm ready."

The Duke looked at her for a moment as I had never seen him look at any
living person.

"You must not exaggerate to yourself the importance of this affair,
Angela," he said. "I do not think we need interfere for the present
with any existing arrangements."

She took his arm, and they walked on ahead to the clearing in front of
my. cottage, talking earnestly together. I had no clue to the meaning
of those first few sentences which had passed between them. And
needless to say, I now lingered far enough behind to be out of earshot.
When they reached the turn in the path they halted and w