ement, but he _knew_ you'd
put it off!"

"He knows I can't. He was talking about it this morning. He knew
how----" Then she stopped. She was not going to show Nita Raseley that
she minded anything.

But Roddy had always said that they would go over together to Hawes--one
of the loveliest old places in the world--He had always promised....

She knew perfectly well what had occurred. Nita had caught Roddy and
clung on to him and persuaded him--Roddy was such a boy--But she was
hurt and she despised herself for it.

"Oh," she said, laughing. "That's all right. You two must just go over
together--that's all! I'll go another time----"

"Well, you see, Roddy _did_ send a wire and the Rockingtons would _hate_
being put off at the last moment.... Oh! You beastly dog! He's been
licking my shoe, Rachel. Really he oughtn't to, ought he? So funny of
you, Rachel, when he's _such_ a mongrel and Roddy's got such lovely
darlings--Of course Jacob's a dear, but he _is_ rather absurd to look
at----"

Jacob glanced at her, shook his ears and then, hearing a step that he
knew, retired, instantly, under a sofa in a far corner of the room.

Roddy came in and stood for a moment laughing across at them. He was in
an old tweed suit with a soft collar and his face was brick-red; looking
at him as he stood there, the absolute type of health and strength and
cleanly vigour, Rachel wondered why she felt irritable. She certainly
was out of sorts.

"Hullo, you two," Roddy said, "you do look cosy! Talkin' secrets, or
will you put up with a man?"

"Oh! _Roddy_," said Nita Raseley, "why, of _course_. Rachel's only just
come down, hasn't been any time for secrets. Come and get warm."

Room was made for him. Rachel smiled at him as she gave him his tea.
"Well, Roddy, what have _you_ been doing? I've been trying to write
letters and Nita's been abusing a novel I lent her. I hope you've been
better employed----"

"I've been botherin' around with Nugent over those two horses he bought
last week. And--oh! I say, Rachel, you'll come over to Hawes to-morrow,
won't you?"

"You know I can't. I've got Miss Crale coming to luncheon----"

"Oh, I say! Put her off----"

"Can't--I've put her off before and she doesn't deserve to be badly
treated----"

"Oh! dash it! But I've gone and wired. The Rockingtons won't like my
changin'----"

"Well, don't change--you and Nita go over----"

"No, but you know we'd always arranged to go over together. You see