ght one of the maids up with me. She
will take care of me better than most men. She is alarming, this good
Susan, to the people who don't know her. But I thought you were going
abroad?"

"So I am. Saturday morning will do me very well."

"How did you know I was in town? No one is supposed to. All the blinds
are down in front and will be till her Ladyship returns."

"Miss Gray told me. I saw her yesterday."

She looked at him sharply. His honest, plain face reassured her. A
friendship of nine years, too. What trouble could there possibly arise
after a friendship of nine years? Mary must know that he was all but
engaged to his cousin.

"Does she approve of the country trip?"

"I have not asked her. I left that to you to do. She has been shut up in
London all the winter. She needs a breath of country air."

"So she does. She shows the London winter, though you may not see it.
Very well, you shall take us both into the country on Thursday. Mary
will not dream of refusing me."

"That is it. She means to spend those six days between Thursday and
Wednesday toiling at her book. I have heard her say that she will spend
Thursday at the British Museum."

"Stuff and nonsense, she shan't! The world will do just as well without
the book. She must come to Hazels on Saturday. You will help me to
persuade her?"

"I will do my best. How did you leave Hazels?"

"Lovely. For the rest, a wilderness of despairing dogs. They will
forgive me if I bring back Mary. By the way, what have you got for me to
do on Friday? If you will keep me in town when all the shops are shut!
Not that it matters. I've finished all my shopping. But am I to spend my
Good Friday here, in this room? London streets are no place for a poor
woman on Good Friday."

"Will you go to church? There is a service at a church near here, with
Bach's Passion music."

"I should like to, of all things. Afterwards, perhaps, Mary would give
us tea at her eyrie. You and she must dine with me. She is coming this
evening to dinner. Come back to dinner at half-past seven and help me to
persuade her. I can only give you a chop. Some mysterious person in the
lower region cooks for me. She is the plainest of the plain."

"It will be a banquet, with you."

Sir Robin was not a young man who paid compliments easily. When he did
pay one it had always an air of sincerity. Mrs. Morres looked pleased.
She was very fond of Robin Drummond.

When he and Mary met at the door a few