Susan gives him a glance from under her long lashes that is still a little resentful—a very little—but she says nothing. ‘Must I go, then?’ says Crosby. ‘I wouldn’t have believed it of you, Susan, to send a poor lonely creature adrift like this.’ ‘You are not so very lonely,’ says she. She gives him another lovely, half-angry glance. ‘I am indeed. There is not a soul to speak to me when I go back to my silent home, and hours must elapse before I can with any decency go to bed. Susan, be merciful. Let me stay here and talk to you of—’ He stops. ‘Of what?’ says Susan, still eminently distrustful. ‘What are you going to talk about? That last thing—’ ‘I’ll never mention cherries again.’ ‘You must keep to that. And now’—lifting her face and smiling at him in a little fugitive way—‘go on about your sister. You haven’t told me anything about her except her name. Katherine, is it not?’ ‘Katherine Forster.’ ‘Mrs. Forster?’ ‘No, Lady Forster. She married one of the Forsters of Berkshire. The eldest one, George Forster, is a very good chap; you’ll like him too.’ Susan had grown thoughtful. Dim recollections of the Forsters as being extraordinarily wealthy people have come home to her. ‘I think I told you that Katherine is coming here to celebrate my birthday?’ says Crosby. ‘Yes; but your birthday—when is it?’ asks Susan, anxious to know when these alarming visitors are to arrive. ‘The third of August. Didn’t I tell you? Katherine likes to think she is coming here to do me honour on that day; that’s how she puts it in words. To turn my house upside down, however, is what she really means. But I submit. The old house will stand it. She isn’t half bad, really, and certainly not more than half mad. I think I told you you would like her?’ ‘Yes,’ says Susan, who has begun to quake at the brother’s description of his sister. ‘And she will be here—’ ‘In about ten days’ time. George—that’s her husband—is a first-class shot, and this place has been pretty well preserved, in spite of its absentee landlord. I hope he will enjoy himself. Katherine is bringing a lot of her friends with her.’ ‘Hers?’ Susan’s tone is a little faint. If only this big society dame’s friends—what is going to happen? Mr. Crosby is so kind that he will be sure to make his sister ask her up to the Hall. And how could she (Susan) hold her own with these clever people of the world, people who— Crosby breaks into her silent fears. ‘Hers principally; but some of them are mine, too, in a way. I really am so little at home that I haven’t time to cultivate lifelong friendships; but Lady Muriel Kennedy I have known all my life, and liked. I hope’—suddenly—‘when Katherine comes, you will spare her a little of your time.’