thirty"--but her lips curved over that prosaic intimation of the
hour of the meal. She turned to Dormer.

"Could I persuade you to drop in, too, Mr. Dormer? We're neighbors, you
know."

"It's most kind of you, Miss Driver. I shall be delighted."

No scruples there; yet he, too, was, as he had chanced to mention, a
guest at Fillingford Manor.

"Besides, I want to get something out of you," Jenny went on, "and I'm
much more likely to do that if I give you a good lunch."

"Something out of me? What, Miss Driver?"

"Ah, I shan't tell you now. Perhaps I may--after lunch."

He leaned down toward her and said banteringly, "You'll have to ask me
very nicely!"

"You may be sure I shall!" cried Jenny, with a swift upward glance.

Jenny was flirting again--with both of them--perhaps with me also, for
her side-glances in my direction challenged and defied my opinion of her
proceedings. I was glad to see it; I did not want her abnegations to go
too far, and it is always a pity that natural gifts should be wasted;
one might, however, feel pretty sure that any Lent of hers would have
its _Mi-Careme_.

But if flirting--a thing pleasant in itself, an exercise of essentially
feminine power--it was also purposeful flirting. She conciliated the new
owner of Hingston, who had his position--who also had his outlying
farms; and again she drove a wedge--this time into Lord Fillingford's
house-party.

"I'm so glad you can come," she said to Lacey. "I want you to meet
Margaret so much." She paused for a second. "Miss Octon, you know." She
looked him very straight in the face as she spoke.

"It's very good of you to let me," he said. "I hear she's charming."

"I'm sure the Priory needs no additional attraction." This from Dormer
in the dog-cart.

To one who knew Jenny well it was possible to see that this speech was
not wholly to her liking--but Dormer was not allowed to see it. He
received a passing but sufficient smile of graciousness before she gave
the hearty thanks of her eyes to Lacey. "She is charming--you'll think
so." A second's pause again, and then--"It's really very good to see
you. Some day--a ride? Margaret's having lessons down in the town.
Austin can ride still, although he has taken to writing books. We shall
make quite a cavalcade."

"I say, don't leave me out, Miss Driver." This, again, from Dormer in
the dog-cart.

"You live too far off."

"You try me and see!" he protested. Evidently he was very well ple