Gerald and the two girls went into the verandah, and thence by a flight of shallow steps to the lawn. It was a peerless night after a peerless day. A young moon was shining above the topmost branches of the deodaras, and touching the Avon with patches of silvery light. The scene was lovely, the atmosphere delicious, but Daphne felt that she was one too many, though Madoline had linked an arm through hers. Those two had so much to talk about, so many questions to ask each other. ‘And you have really come home for good,’ said Madoline. ‘For good, dearest; for the brightest fate that can befall a man, to marry the woman he loves and settle down to a peaceful placid life in the home of his—ancestor. I have been a rover quite long enough, and I shall rove no more, except at your command.’ ‘There are places I should love to visit with you, Gerald—Switzerland, Italy, the Tyrol.’ ‘We will go wherever you please, dearest. It will be delightful to me to show you all that is fairest on this earth, and to hear you say, when we are hunting vainly for some undiscovered nook, where we may escape from the tourist herd—“After all, there is no place like home.”’ ‘I shall only be too much inclined to say that. I love our own country, and the scenery I have known all my life.’ ‘We must start early to-morrow, Lina. We have a great deal of business to get through at the Abbey.’ ‘Business!’ ‘Yes, dear; I want you to give me your ideas about the building of new hot-houses. With your passion for flowers the present amount of glass will never be enough. What do you say to sending MacCloskie over to meet us there? His opinion as a practical man might be of use.’ ‘If Mr. MacCloskie is going to picnic with you I’ll stay at home,’ said Daphne.’ I admire the gentleman as a gardener, but I detest him as a human being.’ ‘Don’t be frightened, Daphne,’ said Gerald, laughing. ‘It is a levelling age, but we have not yet come to picnicking with our gardeners.’ ‘Mr. MacCloskie is such a very superior person,’ retorted Daphne, ‘I don’t know what he might expect.’ They had strolled down to the meadow by the river, a long stretch of level pasture, richly timbered, divided from the gardens by a ha-ha, over which there was a light iron bridge. They lingered for a little while by this bridge, looking across at the river. ‘Do you know that Daphne has started a boat,’ said Madoline, ‘and has become very expert with a pair of sculls? She rowed me down to Stratford the day before yesterday, and back against the stream.’ ‘Indeed! I congratulate you on a delightful accomplishment, Daphne. I don’t see why girls should not have their pleasure out of the river as well as boys. I’ve a brilliant idea. The Abbey is only five miles up the stream. Suppose we charter Daphne’s boat for to-morrow. I can pull a pretty good stroke, and the distance will be easy between us two. Will your boat hold three of us comfortably, do you think, Daphne?’ ‘It would hold six.’