“I’m sure it’s perfectly lovely,” I burst in; “but the fact of the matter is that we—we have arranged to live in London”—“and in separate houses for ever,” I might have added. I went on improvising rapidly. “You see, we shall have a town house for most of the year, and for the summer we’re looking round for a sort of—of farmhouse, with two cottages by the sea, you know! In—in Anglesey, I think. I am so fond of—of that part of the country, so—Those were our plans, aren’t they?” I concluded, with one reckless “Say so, _do_!” glance at the Governor. “Yes—rather! That’s what _we’d_ thought of!” he returned, with a glance back at me which betrayed something very like pure gratitude. As well it might! For again, just before I spoke, my employer had been at such an utter loss that—for the first time since I’d seen him, I felt positively _sorry_ for him. And I answered his glance with the tiniest nod of encouragement. They were the first friendly signals that had ever passed between us. * * * * * “Look here. I must speak to you.” This was my employer, hurriedly to me after breakfast, in the veranda. Now, as that deep, shady veranda is built all the way round the house, as every one of the windows gives on to it, and as all the windows are always wide open, I couldn’t help giving a look round it as much as to say, “Here?” “Not here,” he muttered, still more hurriedly. “This seems to be the deuce of a house to talk in—never saw such a place. And there’s no time now. My uncle was going to take us along in the car——” “_Must_ we go?” I asked, softly and ruefully, with my back to one of the pillars. “No. I’ve knocked that on the head—I’m going to take him off by myself to play golf. I said you’d really rather go to church with my mother and the girls.” “Oh, thanks so much,” I said fervently. “I certainly would!” “So I thought. Well, then, we shall be lunching at the Club House—or, anyhow, getting lunch somewhere out—not coming back here.” I nearly said, “Thanks, so much!” once more. I also nearly smiled to think that anyone else, catching sight of the two of us talking so quickly, so quietly, and so close together under the soft mauve fringe of wistaria-blossom that drooped from the glazed roof, might easily have imagined that our conspiracy was how to spend most of this glorious Sunday _together_, instead of _apart_! “We might not even be back for tea,” said the Governor. “And when is——” I paused and turned my eyes towards the house, “_going_?” “Six o’clock train back to town this evening,” said the Governor, looking steadily at me. A “Thank goodness!” remained unuttered on the tip of my tongue, as I felt obliged to say, “I hope he didn’t think it odd of me not to want to see”—I brought it out with a jerk—“that house.”