Jack would have taken a
step forward, and pulled me with him, a peculiarly dare-devil look in
his handsome eyes. "For _goodness'_ sake, Jack!"

Her voice restrained him, and again we were in conclave. "You see,
Lord Lane, it's rather awkward. We want you to go on with us,
immensely, but----"

"You're awfully good," I hastily cut in. "But I quite see, and I
couldn't think of----"

"Oh, please, that isn't what I meant. Now, will you and Jack both be
quite quiet, like angels, and let me talk for a while, till I make
everything clear to everybody, about everybody else. Don't grin. I
know I'm not beginning well, but the beginning's the difficult part.
We wrote to you, Lord Lane, to Grenoble, saying we would be arriving
about as soon as you got the letter. We didn't know whether we could
tear you away from your mule or not; but anyhow, we should have seen
each other and got each other's news. Then this friend of mine joined
us unexpectedly; at least, we thought we might meet her, but we
weren't at all sure she would want to travel with us. However, here
she is, and she's a perfect dear; and next to Jack and Dad I love her
better than anybody else in the world. Besides, she gave me the car;
and you know I told you how ill she had been, and how she was
travelling for her health. Altogether we have to consider her before
anyone; and I want to know, Lord Lane, if you'll think me a regular
little beast if I speak to her first, before we arrange anything?"

I opened my lips to answer with a complimentary protest, but before I
could frame a word, she had rushed to the two Mercedes, her mushroom
hanging limp in her hand, and had entered into a low-voiced
conversation with the human namesake.

"Look here, Jack; I wouldn't put you out for the world," I said. "As
for tearing myself from the mule, that surgical operation has already
been performed, and I was going on to Monte Carlo----"

"That's our goal," cut in Jack. "Molly maligned the place of old days.
Now I want her to do it justice. You and I will show her Monte at its
best."

"Yes, but I'll go down by rail, and meet you there."

"You'll do nothing of the kind. Molly's friend is one of the most
charming girls alive, but she has passed through a great trouble,
followed by a severe illness. She came to us in some distress of mind,
and we are bound, as Molly says, to consider her, as she may not think
herself equal to intercourse with strangers. However, all that's
necessa