"Ah! but they're not," she cried quickly. "They're just the wisest
people in the world. Only don't you see that one day after their golf
they drive on and on, and suddenly it seemed to the girl in grey that the
road was getting familiar? There was an old church she recognised and
lots of landmarks. And then suddenly they drive past some lodge gates,
and there--in the middle of the road--stands a dreadful man smoking a
cigar with a band round it. All the glory has gone from the drive, and
the girl feels numb and sick and mad with fury. . . ."

"But that was bad steering on the man's part," said Vane. "He ought to
have avoided that road."

"The girl could never avoid it, Derek," she answered sadly. "Even in the
bunker at the tenth she'd be seeing that cigar. . . ."

"I don't believe it," said Vane.

"I know it," answered the girl.

A sudden hail of "Joan" came ringing over the water, and she gave an
answering hail.

"There's Dad," she said. "I suppose we ought to be going. . . ."

With a sigh Vane rose and stood over her. "Come on," he laughed, holding
out his hand to help her up. "And then I'll untie the boat. . . ."

He swung her up beside him and for a moment they looked into one
another's eyes.

"I hope," he said, "that you'll be happy, my dear, so happy." And his
voice was very tender. . . .

They rowed back towards the boat-house, where Sir James was waiting for
them.

"Come and have tea, you two," he cried cheerily, and Joan waved her hand
at him. Then she looked at Vane.

"It's been a wonderful afternoon of make-believe," she said softly.
"I've just loved it. . . ." Vane said nothing, but just as they were
stepping out of the boat he took her arm gently.

"Are you quite certain, lady," he whispered, "that it must
be--make-believe? . . ."

For a while she stood motionless, and then she smiled "Why, of
course. . . . There's your beaten track to find, and there's She who
must be obeyed. And there's also. . . ."

"The cigar with the band round it." Vane's hand dropped to his side.
"Perhaps you're right. . . ."

They strolled together towards Sir James. And it was just before they
came within earshot that Vane spoke again. "Would you care to play the
game again, grey girl?"

"Why, yes," she said, "I think I would. . . . I think I would."

CHAPTER XI

During the days that followed his afternoon on the lake at Blandford
Vane found himself thinking a good deal more of