"I dine with her every night and spend the evening with her," he responded quickly, "but my visits are not long ones, and I confine my energies wholly and unreservedly to the farm which I took over ten years ago, and which bolsters up the estate." "Are times still bad?" asked the Admiral. "What can you expect after such a devastating War? And you know how the franc stands." "I can't think why my sister persists in living out there. She would do much better to sell the Château and come to England." Guy gave a little laugh and turned to Adrienne. "You are young and enthusiastic, I am sure," he said; "you must use your powers of influence to induce her to leave her ruined castle." "No," said Adrienne perversely; "if her heart is there, why should I try to tear her away from it?" Guy made no reply, but turned to the Admiral. "My stepmother is unfortunate in her adviser out there. He is a little village notary, and she turns to him for everything. He's fleecing her right and left, and she won't see it. Why don't you or the General pay her a visit sometimes? You could do more with her than the rest of us." "Never!" laughed the Admiral. "Cecily has always managed us. We never could manage her. And we're both getting old now, and are neither of us good travellers. I should think a young and able man like yourself is more than sufficient for her." They talked on for some time; and then, when tea was over, Guy strode to the window and stood looking out. "An English garden," he said; "there's nothing like it in the world. Miss Chesterton, will you take me over it?" "Certainly," Adrienne answered politely. She led the way through the hall, taking down a straw hat from the hatstand and putting it on her head. Then they crossed the lawn together, and wandered down the paths between the herbaceous borders in the old walled garden. "When are you coming over to us?" he said, turning to her quickly. "Can you manage to get away by the 18th?" "No," said Adrienne, with a little hauteur in her tone; "that date does not suit me. I will come a few days later on. I have talked it over with my uncles and they are willing to spare me for a month—not longer, they say." "I suppose, like most old people, they're inclined to be selfish," Guy remarked. "They're neither old nor selfish," said Adrienne hotly. Guy smiled to himself. He wanted to break the icy crust in Adrienne's voice, and he had succeeded.