‘Why shouldn’t we be humble, please?’ she said, with a laugh.

‘Because it’s monstrous that you should.  Leave that to us!’

‘There wouldn’t be much of it about, if we did!’ The red danced in her cheek.

’Much humility?  Oh, you’re quite mistaken.  Men are much more humble than you think.  But we’re human, of course.  If you tempt us, you soon put the starch into us.’

‘Well, you must starch Beryl!’ said Pamela, with emphasis.  ’She will think and say that she’s not worthy of Aubrey, that she knows she’ll disappoint him, that she wouldn’t mind his giving up Mannering if only she were sure she could make him happy—­and heaps of things like that!  I’m sure she’s saying them now!’

‘I never heard such nonsense in my life!’ The masculine face beside her was all impatience.  ’One can’t exactly boast about one’s sister, but you and I know very well what Beryl is worth!’

Pamela agreed fervently.  ‘Besides, Desmond would give it back.’

‘Hm—­’ her companion demurred.  ’Giving back isn’t always easy.  As to pounds, shillings, and pence, if one must talk of them, it’s lucky that Beryl has her “bit.”  But I shouldn’t wonder if your father thought better of it after all.’

Pamela flushed indignantly.

’He all but signed a codicil to his will last night!  He’s in a tearing hurry about it.  He called in Miss Bremerton and wanted her to witness it.  And she refused.  So father threw it into a drawer, and nobody knows what has happened.’

‘Miss Bremerton?  The new secretary?’ The tone expressed both amusement and curiosity.  ’Ah!  I hear all sorts of interesting things about her.’

Pamela straightened her shoulders defiantly.

’Of course she’s interesting.  She’s terribly clever and up to date, and all the rest of it.  She’s beginning to boss father, and very soon she’ll boss all the rest of us.’

‘Perhaps you wanted it!’ said Captain Chicksands, smiling.

‘Perhaps we did,’ Pamela admitted.  ’But one needn’t like it all the same.  Well, she’s rationed us—­that’s one good thing—­and father really doesn’t guess!  And now she’s begun to take an interest in the farms!  I believe she’s walked over to the Holme Wood farm to-day, to see for herself what state it’s in.  Father’s in town.  And she’s trying hard to keep father out of a horrible row with the County Committee.’

‘About ploughing up the park?’

Pamela nodded.

‘Plucky woman!’ said Arthur Chicksands heartily.  ’I’m sure you help her, Pamela, all you can?’

‘I don’t like being managed,’ said the girl stubbornly, rather resenting his tone.

A slight shade of sternness crossed the soldier’s face.

‘You know it’s no good playing with this war,’ he said drily.  ’It’s as much to be won here as it is over seas. Food!—­that’ll be the last word for everybody.  And it’s women’s work as much as men’s.’