"My dear Gentian," she said, "I am very glad we are not going to lose you. And I mean to see a great deal of you in the future. I am old-fashioned enough to believe in love matches, and if you don't love a man, don't marry him. That is my advice. I have seen disaster again and again come upon young people, because they married in haste for expediency." So Jim Paget departed out of Gentian's life, and at the end of a few days, she seemed as if she had forgotten all about him. She was getting quite absorbed in her small house, and when the day came for her to move into it, and Miss Ward was expected to arrive, she was as excited as a child. Mrs. Wharnecliffe felt a blank in the house when she left her. Gentian made her presence and personality felt wherever she went. About a week after she moved in, Thorold, taking a morning walk past the house, was confronted by a large white notice board in its front garden facing the road. "Car for hire. Apply within." He was standing looking up at it with disapproval stamped upon his face, when Gentian's voice over the hedge surprised him. "Well, and what do you think of it? I am afraid we are too out of the way for people to see it." "I don't like it at all," said Thorold gravely. "What a pity! I am proud of it. I have had two fares already. Every morning I drive into Winderball and go slowly up and down the high street with my notice 'for hire' staring every one in the face. They won't let me stand in the station yard, so that is all I can do, but I took a gentleman to the station yesterday, and the day before I drove a young couple to see an empty house about eight miles out. That was a good stroke of business. I shall get on in spite of your disapproval. I could not stay here if I did not. Don't you want to go and see Mrs. Wharnecliffe and ask her opinion about my notice board? I will run you out this afternoon if you like. The journey there and back will be twenty-two shillings. I cannot take tips, as it is my own car." "I am afraid you do not tempt me," said Thorold, smiling in spite of himself. "Having a motor-bike and a horse, I am independent of cars." "Oh, of course, you are what they call complete in yourself. Now, dear Cousin Thorold—" She changed her tone and began to coax: "Don't fight me about this board. It means a livelihood for me, and I do not like cross faces and expostulations. All yesterday Miss Ward was telling me you would not like it. And I said to her: "'Cousin Thorold is a sensible broad-minded man, and very kind at heart!' "Are you not? We'll say no more about it. Now can you tell me if this is the time to plant roses? I want some badly, and there is a woman called Mrs. Guddings in the village who has a moss rose, and tells me she will give me a root of it." Thorold succumbed, and the talk veered to roses. The board remained up, and only two days afterwards it brought Gentian business.