"You are setting such a premium on ordinary courtesy that I begin to believe it must be a rare quality in these parts," he said jestingly, with what sounded to Prudence a faintly sarcastic humour. He had assuredly not been given particular evidence of the quality beneath that roof. "But if you insist on regarding my small service so graciously I do not feel inclined to quarrel with you on that score. I can only repeat that I am glad I happened to be on the spot. Good-bye. Take care of the ankle. It will tax your patience, I expect." Mr Graynor accompanied him into the hall, and invited him into the library for refreshment, which he declined. Prudence listened to their voices outside, listened to the motor drive away, and turned with a face pale with indignation, when her father re-entered the room, and reproached him with having displayed so little gratitude to a man who had acted with such ready kindliness towards her. "I felt ashamed," she said. "You were barely civil." "You forget yourself, Prudence," Agatha said. "Father was quite civil. There was no need to gush--you did that." "And if I did," Prudence cried, exasperated, "you two forced me into doing so." Mr Graynor had crossed to the window, where he remained with his back towards the room, paying little heed to their wrangling. "I wish it had not been Major Stotford who rendered you the service," he said presently, and faced about and approached the sofa with an expression of worried annoyance on his face. "I am sorry this has happened." "Why?" Prudence sat up straighter and punched the cushions viciously. "Why?" she repeated aggressively. "Because--" "Do you think it necessary to explain these matters to a child?" Agatha interrupted tartly. Prudence laughed angrily. "I'm not a child," she said. "You can't keep my mind for ever on a leading string." "I think you are unnecessarily excited," Mr Graynor said in displeased tones. "I doubt whether that is good for you in your present condition." "Being thwarted is not good for me in my present condition," Prudence retorted, but with greater calmness. "You aren't being fair to me. Why should it be a matter for regret to you that Major Stotford should do me a service? He hadn't much choice. No man, who wasn't a brute, could have acted otherwise in the circumstances." "No," Mr Graynor admitted. "It was simply unfortunate. Major Stotford is a man whom I do not care to have in my house, whom I would not choose as an associate for my daughters. He has an evil reputation." "Evil!" Prudence sounded a note of incredulity. "In what sense?" she asked. "There is no need to soil your ears with his history," Mr Graynor replied. "His wife divorced him two years ago. I understood he was abroad." "Oh!" said Prudence, and felt oddly chilled by this revelation.