. "Come along, May. Goodness gracious, it's nearly
eight o'clock and we are going to dine at eight fifteen!"

"I can dress in two shakes," said May Dashwood.

"I've asked Mr. Boreham," said Lady Dashwood, pushing her niece gently
before her towards the door and blessing her--in her under-thoughts
("Bless you, May, dear dear May!"). "He talked so much about you the
other day," she went on aloud, "that when I got your wire--I felt bound
to ask him--I hope you don't mind."

"Nobody does mind Mr. Boreham," said May. "I haven't seen him--for
years."

"You know his aunt left him Chartcote, so he has taken to haunting
Oxford for the last three months. Talk of ghosts----"

Then the door closed behind the two ladies and Gwen was left alone in
the drawing-room. She went up to the clock. It was striking eight.
Fifteen minutes and nothing to do! She would go and see if there were
any letters. She went outside. Letters by the first post and by the last
post were all placed on a table at the head of the staircase. Gwen went
and looked at the table. Letters there were, all for the Warden! No!
there was one for her, from her mother. She opened it nervously. Was it
a scolding about losing that umbrella? Gwen began to read:

"My dear Gwen,

"I hope you understand that Lady Dashwood will keep you till the
3rd. You don't mention the Warden! Does that mean that you are
making no progress in that direction? Perhaps taking no trouble!

"The question is, where you will go on the 3rd?"

Here Gwen's heart gave a thump of alarm and dismay.

"It is all off with your cousin Bridget. She writes that she can't
have you, because she has to be in town unexpectedly. This is only
an excuse. I am disappointed but not surprised, after that record
behaviour to me when the war broke out and after promising that I
should be in her show in France, and then backing out of it. Exactly
why, I found out only yesterday! You remember that General X. had
actually to separate two of the 'angels' that were flitting about on
their work of mercy and had come to blows over it. Well, one of the
two was your cousin Bridget. That didn't get photographed in the
papers. It would have looked sweet. But now I'm going to give you a
scolding. Bridget did get wind of your muddling about at the
Ringwood's little hospital this summer, and spending all your time
and energy on a man who I told you