Juliet's thoughts were more occupied with Mrs. Fielding at the moment, but she kept them to herself. "I may be late back, Mrs. Rickett," she said. "Let me have a cold lunch when I come in!" "Oh, dearie me!" said Mrs. Rickett. "I do hope, miss, as young Jack'll drive careful when he's got you in the car." Juliet hoped so too as she hastened within to prepare for the expedition. She did not feel any very keen zest for it, but, as she told Columbus, they need never go again if they didn't like it. It was nearly ten minutes before the Fielding car reappeared, and they were both waiting at the garden-gate as it drew up. "Yes, we were delayed," said Mrs. Fielding pettishly, "by those little fiends of children. I do think Mr. Green might teach them to keep to the side of the road. Pray get in, Miss Moore! Oh, do you want to bring your dog?" "He is used to motoring," said Juliet. "Do you mind if he sits in front?" Mrs. Fielding shrugged her shoulders to indicate that if was a matter of supreme indifference to her, and Columbus was duly installed by the driver's side. Juliet took her place beside Mrs. Fielding, and in a few seconds they were whirling up the road again, leaving clouds of dust in their wake. "It's the only way one can breathe on a day like this," said Mrs. Fielding. Juliet said nothing. She was watching the village children scatter like rabbits before their lightning rush. In the schoolhouse garden she caught sight of a heavy, shambling figure, and waved a swift greeting as she flashed past. "Oh, do you know that revolting youth?" said Mrs. Fielding. "He's half-witted as well as deformed. His brother!" with a nod towards her chauffeur's back. "He's a great trial to Jack, I believe. My husband has offered a hundred times to have him put into a home, but the other brother--Green, the schoolmaster--is absolutely pig-headed on the subject, and won't hear of it." "Poor Robin!" said Juliet gently. "Yes, I know him. He is certainly not normal, but scarcely half-witted, do you think?" Mrs. Fielding turned her head to bestow upon her a brief glance of surprise. "I said half-witted," she observed haughtily. Juliet turned her head also, and gave her companion a straight and level look. "And I did not agree with you," she said quietly. Mrs. Fielding uttered a laugh that had a girlish ring despite its insolence. "Have you said that to my husband yet?" she asked. "Not quite that," said Juliet. "Well, if you ever do, may I be there to hear!" she rejoined flippantly. "He's like a raging bull when he's crossed. I hear he came to see you yesterday." "He did," said Juliet. "Did he talk about me?" asked Mrs. Fielding. "He told me that you were not very strong," said Juliet. "And that I wanted someone to look after me--coerce me, when he wasn't there to do it himself. Was that it?" "Surely you know better than that!" said Juliet.