ght that every woman ought to be taught cooking," he said
musingly. "We have certainly just had a very good dinner; I must remember
to tell Betty how much I enjoyed that savoury."

"Did Betty cook it all?" asked Radmore.

It was Jack who answered, "Yes, of course she did. Early in the War there
was a great shortage of cooks in some of the country hospitals, and so
Betty asked a friend of ours to allow her to spend a few weeks in her
kitchen. So now we have the benefit of all she learnt there."

Five minutes later the three men stood at the open door of the
drawing-room, and at once Radmore saw that Betty was not there. That was
really too bad! What selfish girls her sisters were!

Acting on an impulse he could not have analysed, he stepped back into the
corridor and walked quickly towards the green baize door which led to the
kitchen quarters. Just as he reached it, the door burst open, and Tom,
rushing through, almost knocked him over.

"Hullo! Steady there! Where are you going?"

"I'm so sorry, Godfrey, but I'm in the devil of a hurry, for I've got to
clear the dining-room. Once that's done, my work's over, and I can go
into the drawing-room." Tom was grinning good-humouredly. "I say, Mrs.
Crofton does look a peach to-night, doesn't she?"

Even as he spoke, he was hooking the door back. Then he hurried into the
dining-room without waiting for an answer.

Godfrey went on with rather hesitating steps down the broad,
stone-flagged passage. According to tradition, this part of Old Place was
mediaeval, and it was certainly quite different from the rest of the
house. He felt a little awkward for he knew he had no business there,
and when he got to the big, vaulted kitchen, he stopped and looked round
him dubiously. The fire in the old-fashioned, wasteful range had been
allowed to die down, and on the round wooden table in the middle of the
room were heaped up the dinner plates and dishes.

Suddenly he noticed that the door which led into the scullery was ajar,
and he heard Betty's clear, even voice saying: "When you've tidied
yourself up a bit, run down and let me see how you look. I'm afraid
they're not likely to play any games this evening. It's a real, proper
dinner-party, you know, Timmy."

Then he heard his godson's eager voice. "Oh, Betty, do come too! Mrs.
Jones can do the washing-up to-morrow morning. If you want to dress I'll
hook you up."

"I'm too tired to go up and dress," and Betty's voice did sound