"Excellent," said Jimmy approvingly. "Nothing could be better. I'd like an eye kept on Bundle anyway. You never know what mad thing she won't be up to next. She's so frightfully unexpected. And the worst of it is, she's so astonishingly successful. I tell you, keeping Bundle out of mischief is a whole-time job." "Bill ought to look after her," suggested Loraine. "Bill's pretty busy elsewhere." "Don't you believe it," said Loraine. "What? Not the Countess? But the lad's potty about her." Loraine continued to shake her head. "There's something there I don't quite understand. But it's not the Countess with Bill--it's Bundle. Why, this morning Bill was talking to me when Mr. Lomax came out and sat down by Bundle. He took her hand or something, and Bill was off like--like a rocket." "What a curious taste some people have," observed Mr. Thesiger. "Fancy anyone who was talking to you wanting to do anything else. But you surprise me very much, Loraine. I thought our simple Bill was enmeshed in the toils of the beautiful foreign adventuress. Bundle thinks so, I know." "Bundle may," said Loraine, "but I tell you, Jimmy, it isn't so." "Then what's the big idea?" "Don't you think it possible that Bill is doing a bit of sleuthing on his own?" "Bill? He hasn't got the brains." "I'm not so sure. When a simple, muscular person like Bill does set out to be subtle, no one ever gives him credit for it." "And in consequence he can put in some good work. Yes, there's something in that. But all the same I'd never have thought it of Bill. He's doing the Countess's little woolly lamb to perfection. I think you're wrong, you know, Loraine. The Countess is an extraordinarily beautiful woman--not my type, of course," put in Mr. Thesiger hastily--"and old Bill has always had a heart like an hotel." Loraine shook her head, unconvinced. "Well," said Jimmy, "have it your own way. We seem to have more or less settled things. You go back with Bundle to Chimneys, and for Heavens' sake keep her from poking about in that Seven Dials place again. Heavens knows what will happen if she does." Loraine nodded. "And now," said Jimmy, "I think a few words with Lady Coote would be advisable." Lady Coote was sitting on a garden seat doing wool-work. The subject was a disconsolate and somewhat misshapen young woman weeping over an urn. Lady Coote made room for Jimmy by her side, and he promptly, being a tactful young man, admired her work. "Do you like it?" said Lady Coote, pleased. "It was begun by my Aunt Selina the week before she died. Cancer of the liver, poor thing." "How beastly," said Jimmy. "And how is the arm?" "Oh, it's feeling quite all right. Bit of a nuisance and all that, you know." "You'll have to be careful," said Lady Coote in a warning voice. "I've known blood-poisoning set in--and in that case you might lose your arm altogether." "Oh! I say, I hope not." "I'm only warning you," said Lady Coote.