There was no doubt at all that the five ladies were extremely glad that there was to be no picnic. Mrs. Lawrence meant to have a really cosy day reading by the fire one of those most delightful stories of Miss Braddon. She was enormously interested in the literature of the early eighties; anything later than that rather frightened her. “We can have a really cosy day,” said Mrs. Lester. “Yes, we shall have quite a comfortable time,” said Mrs. Lawrence. “It is so nice having an excuse for a fire,” said Lady Gale. “I do love it when one can have a fire without being ashamed, don’t you?” said Mrs. Lawrence. Mrs. Maradick gathered her two girls about her and they disappeared. Slowly the clock stole towards half-past eleven, when the first move was to be made. Mr. Lester had left quite early. He said good-bye to Maradick with great cordiality. “Mind you come and see us, often. It’s been delightful meeting you. There’s still plenty to talk about.” He said good-bye to his wife with his usual rather casual geniality. “Good-bye, old girl. Send me a line. Hope this weather clears off”—and he was gone. She had been standing by the hall door. As the trap moved down the drive she suddenly made a step forward as though she would go out into the rain after him and call him back. Then she stopped. She was standing on the first step in front of the door; the mist swept about her. Lady Gale called from the hall: “Come in, dear, you’ll get soaking wet.” She turned and came back. To Tony, as he watched the hands of the clock creep round, it seemed perfectly incredible that the whole adventure should simply consist in quietly walking out of the door. It ought to begin, at any rate, with something finer than that, with an escape, something that needed secrecy and mystery. It was so strange that he was simply going to walk down and take Janet; it was, after all, a very ordinary affair. At quarter-past eleven he found his mother alone in her room. He came up to her and kissed her. “I’m going off with Maradick now,” he said. “Yes,” she answered, looking him in the eyes. “You know I’m in for an adventure, mother?” “Yes, dear.” “You trust me, don’t you?” “Of course, dear, perfectly.” “You shall know all about it to-morrow.” “When you like, dear,” she answered. She placed her arms on his shoulders, and held him back and looked him in the face. Then she touched his head with her hands and said softly— “You mustn’t let anything or anyone come between us, Tony?” “Never, mother,” he answered. Then suddenly he came very close to her, put his arms round her and kissed her again and again. “God bless you, old boy,” she said, and let him go. When he had closed the door behind him she began to cry, but when Mrs. Lester found her quarter of an hour later there were no signs of tears. Maradick and Tony, as half-past eleven struck from the clock at the top of the stairs, went down the steps of the hotel.