He told me so, quite frankly, the last time I saw
him. But of course she may have had money of her own."

Janet looked at him rather hard. A disagreeable suspicion had entered her
mind. She wondered whether there was anything like an "understanding"
between the man she was talking to and the tenant of The Trellis House.
If so, she wished with all her heart that Godfrey Radmore had kept away.
Why stir up embers they had all thought were dead, if he was going to
marry this very pretty but, to her mind, second-rate little woman, as
soon as a decent time had elapsed?

"What are your plans for the future?" she asked. "Are you going to settle
down, or are you going to travel a bit?" ("After all, he won't be able to
marry Mrs. Crofton for at least another six months," she said to
herself.)

"Oh, I mean to settle down." His answer was quick, decisive, final.

He went on: "My idea is to find a place, not too far from here, that
I can buy; and my plan is to go about and look for it now. That's why
I've hired a motor for a month. Perhaps you'd lend me Timmy, and, if it
wouldn't be improper, one of the girls, now and again? We might go round
and look about a bit."

And then he walked across to where she was standing, and put his hand on
her arm, "How about you?" he asked, "why shouldn't I take you and Timmy a
little jaunt just for a week or so--that would be rather fun, eh?"

She smiled and shook her head.

He took a step back. "Look here, Janet--do try and forgive me--I'm a more
sensible chap than I was, honest Injun!"

"I'm beginning to think you are," she cried, and then they both burst out
laughing.

He lingered a moment. He was longing, longing intensely, to ask her
certain questions. He wanted to know about Betty--what sort of a life
Betty had made for herself. He still, in an odd way, felt responsible
for Betty--which was clearly absurd.

And then Janet Tosswill said something that surprised him very much. "I
think you'd better go round and see some of the people in the village
to-day. I was rather sorry you went off straight to The Trellis House
last evening. You know how folks talked, even in the old days, in
Beechfield?"

He looked uneasy--taken aback, and she felt, if a little ashamed, glad
that she had made that "fishing" remark.

There was a pause, and then he said with a touch of formality: "Look
here, Janet? I'd like you to know that though I've become quite fond of
Mrs. Crofton, I'm only fond--nothing