"Jeff!" she said. He looked up at her. Her voice was small and shy, her cheeks very delicately flushed. "What is it?" said Jeff. She looked down at the brown hand she held, all roughened and hardened by toil, and hesitated. "Well?" said Jeff. She turned her eyes upon his face. "Are you going back to work to-day, just as if--as if nothing had happened?" she asked. He looked straight back at her. "You don't want me, do you?" he said. She nodded. "Shall we go for a picnic?" she said. "A picnic!" He seemed surprised at the suggestion. She laughed a little. "Do you never go for picnics? I do--all by myself sometimes. It's rather fun, you know." "By yourself?" said Jeff. She rose from her perch. "It's more fun with someone certainly," she said. Jeff's face reflected her smile for an instant. "All right," he said. "I'll take a holiday for once. But come home now and have some breakfast." She stepped down beside him. "It's nice of you to give me the very first thing I ask for," she said. "Will you do something else for me?" "Yes," said Jeff. "Then will you call me Dot?" she said. "It was the pet name my mother gave me. No one has used it since she died." "Dot," repeated Jeff. "You really want me to call you that?" "But, of course," she said, smiling, "you haven't called me anything yet. Please begin at once! It really isn't difficult." "Very well, Dot," he said. "And where are we going for our picnic?" "Oh, not very far," she said. "Somewhere within a quite easy walk." "Can't we ride?" suggested Jeff. "Ride?" She looked at him in surprise. "I have a horse who would carry you," he said. "Have you--have you, really?" Quick pleasure came into her eyes. "Oh, Jeff, how kind of you!" "No, it isn't," said Jeff bluntly. "I want you to be happy." She laughed her quick, light laugh. "So you're going to spoil me?" she said. They reached the pretty Mill House above the stream and found breakfast awaiting them in the oak-panelled parlour that overlooked a sunny orchard. "How absolutely sweet!" said Doris. He came and stood beside her at the window, looking silently forth. She glanced at him half-shyly. "Aren't you very fond of it all?" "Yes," he said. "And I think I am going to be," said Doris. "I hope you will," said Jeff. She turned from him to Granny Grimshaw who entered at the moment with a hot dish. "I don't think we ought to have been married so early," she said. "You must be quite tired out. Now, please, Mrs. Grimshaw, do sit down and let me wait on you for a change!" Granny Grimshaw smiled at the bare suggestion. "No, no, Mrs. Ironside, my dear. This is for you and Master Jeff. I've got mine in the kitchen." "I never heard such a thing!" declared Doris. "Jeff, surely you are not going to allow that!" Jeff came from the window. "Of course you must join us, Granny," he said.