He had had a good lunch, had been shown the house and what would be the garden, had walked with Ann a little way along the hill road and duly admired the view, and had then returned to the living-room, where he sat talking and listening till tea was brought in, stayed for an hour after tea, and even then had seemed loath to go away. "Well," said Mrs. Douglas, when the guest had at last departed, "it's a blessing there is a moon--and that he knows the hill road well. It will take him all his time to be at Birkshaw in time for dinner." "You shouldn't have made yourself so agreeable, Mother. He couldn't bear to leave your interesting conversation." "As to that," said Mrs. Douglas, "it does one good to see a man sometimes and hear a man's talk." "Mother," laughed Ann, "you dearly love a man, and you have all the Victorian woman's reliance on a man's opinion. You love doing things for their benefit; you positively _pander_ to them." Mrs. Douglas refused to be abashed by this accusation. "Well, why not? I think men are the lords of creation, and I do like them to have the best of everything. I like the old-fashioned way of doing everything for one's men-folk--seeing that their bags are properly packed and their clothes kept in perfect order. I can't bear the modern way of letting a man look after himself; it is so nice to feel that one's men are dependent on one for their comfort." Ann groaned and, sitting down on the rug pulled the Tatler into her lap. "Cat, d'you hear that? Lords of creation, indeed! Those are your sentiments, too, aren't they?" The Tatler blinked sleepily, and stuck his claws into Ann's arm. Ann pushed him away and got up. "Ah yes, Mother, I know you of old. I didn't mind running errands for Father when he came in tired, but I did resent being told: 'Run and pack Mark's bag.' 'Get Robbie a clean handkerchief----' That was 'fair ridiculous!'' "Yes, but, on the other hand, the boys were always being told, 'Give it to Ann; she's the girl.' You were utterly spoiled, and there's one thing, Ann, I must ask you. When I'm asking a blessing for tea, don't go on filling cups." "But I don't," Ann said indignantly, "though what you want with a blessing for tea, I don't know. Nobody I ever heard of has a blessing for tea except Miss Barbara, and I generally had taken a large bite out of a scone before she began, and it lay on my plate and looked at me reproachfully. Poor Mr. Scott spoke right through your blessing to-day; he didn't know what you were doing." Mrs. Douglas sighed deeply. "Ah, well, Ann, I don't suppose I'll be with you very long to worry you with my old-fashioned ways." "Oh, Mother, that's not fair. You're hitting below the belt." "But you may be away first," continued Mrs. Douglas, "and then I shall be left to regret." "Well, then," said Ann flippantly, "we'll arrange that neither of us will regret anything. You and Mr. Scott made great friends, Mother. He has very nice manners, hasn't he?"