I heard him. Perhaps it was only the first syllable of the word “Impertinence!” At all events, I heard that distinctly. And though it meant I _had_ scored another point and made His Imperturbability forget himself yet again, I couldn’t enjoy the triumph of it, nor even laugh to myself. There had been too much of all this.... I was suddenly tired. Tears, of fatigue, I suppose, rushed unexpectedly into my eyes, and I was obliged to turn my head and glare over the hedge at a may-tree in full bloom that became a dancing blur of pink. _He_ was pretending that he hadn’t begun to speak at all. He began again, stiffly: “My uncle and another man are coming over to-night. This uncle of mine is eccentric in some ways, but extremely shrewd; and no—er—two-edged sort of remark would be lost on him.” “I see,” I said, blinking angrily at the next may-tree, but still controlling my voice. “I had better not make _any_ sort of remark at all then, before him. I could be too shy to open my lips. In fact, just as I am—used to be, at the office. Would that be better?” “Distinctly better than—er—recent methods,” said the Governor dryly. “This other man is merely a business acquaintance with whom I hope to have dealings. So——” “You want him to be favourably impressed,” I concluded intelligently, “with your _fiancée_ and all your other belongings.” “If you choose to put it so. But——” A pause. “Above all,” said the Governor, “I don’t, on this particular occasion, don’t want to be made to look a _fool_!” It came out quite boyishly and slangily, and for a moment I could almost have liked Still Waters for that. Then—yes! I thought, savagely, he mustn’t be allowed to look a fool even for once, but I may go on looking a fool and worse, for the next year! And then I saw that he was inwardly rating himself for having, as he considered, played into the enemy’s hands—having allowed me to see exactly when and where I could get the better of him next. He didn’t trust me. “I will do my best,” I said, softly and bitterly. Let him suppose, if he chose, that I meant doing my best to let him look a fool before his uncle and his pompous fine business acquaintance, indeed. What would he amount to, I wondered, this acquaintance of the Governor’s for whom I, Monica Trant, was to be on my best behaviour? Probably someone Father wouldn’t have had in the house! We reached the turning to the station and I stopped. “Was there anything else that you wished to speak to me about?” “No, thank you,” said my employer at his curtest. “That was all. Good-morning!” He lifted his hat; his face beneath it was set with temper. Good! Let him vent it on Mr. Dundonald at the office!