Riding up the further slope to the Castle a few minutes later, he was hailed from behind and reined in to look back.  A long-legged figure detached itself from a clump of trees that shadowed the bailiff’s house and came racing in pursuit.

“Hi!  Charlie!  Don’t be in such a deuce of a hurry!  I’m going your way.”

Saltash waited, not too patiently.  “My good chap, you’re dressed and I’m not!  I shall be late for my guests.”

“What’s it matter?” scoffed Bunny breathlessly, reaching his side.  “Maud and Jake don’t count, and Toby is only a kid.  I don’t suppose she’s ever been out to dine before.”

“She’s old enough to begin,” remarked Saltash, pushing on at a walk.

“Well, she is beginning,” said Bunny, with a grin as he strode beside him.  “You haven’t seen her for some weeks, have you?  You’ll see a difference, and so will her father.”

“How?” said Saltash briefly.

Bunny’s grin became more pronounced.  “Oh, it’s chiefly clothes.  Maud is rather clever in that line, you know.  I haven’t seen a great deal of her lately.  She’s generally scampering round on horseback with Jake.  But once or twice—­with Maud—­I’ve seen her look quite demure.  She’s really getting almost good-looking,” he added dispassionately.

Saltash flung a swift look downwards.  “Don’t you approve?”

Bunny shrugged his shoulders.  “I don’t see enough of her to care either way.  She’s still a kid, you know,—­quite a kid.”

Saltash dropped the subject abruptly.  “You’re liking your job all right?”

“Rather!” Bunny made instant and enthusiastic reply.  “It’s just the sort of thing I was made for.  Old Bishop’s a brick.  We’re getting quite fond of one another.”

“Sort of life you enjoy?” questioned Saltash.

“Oh, rather!  I’ve always thought I’d like to manage a big estate.  Wish I’d got one of my own.”

“All right.  I’ll adopt you,” laughed Saltash.  “You shall be the son of my old age.”

“Oh, don’t be an ass!” protested Bunny.  “Why on earth don’t you get married?”

Saltash’s brows twisted wryly.  “Afraid I’ve lived too long, mon cher.  If I had married your sister in the long ago, things might have been vastly different.  As it is, I see no prospect of changing my state.  Think it matters?”

“Well, it’s rather a shame to let a good name die out,” maintained Bunny.  “And of course it’s rot to talk like that about Maud.  You can’t pretend to have stayed in love with her all these years.  There must have been heaps of others since then.”

“No, I’m not pretending,” said Saltash.  “As you say, there have been—­heaps of others.”  He made an odd gesture towards the western sky behind him.  “There are always—­heaps of stars, Bunny; but there’s never more than one moon.”

“Rot!” said Bunny.

“It is, isn’t it?” said Saltash, and laughed with brief derision.  “Well, I must get on.  You can do the receiving if I’m late.  Tell them I’ve been in town and only got back at mid-day!  You needn’t bother about Larpent.  I’ll see to him.”