“It is your country,” she repeated.  “That appears to be singular, but I have not the English habits.”

And she sat down, smiling.

Audrey opened the tea caddy, put three spoonfuls of tea into the pot, and made the tea.

The clock struck on the mantelpiece.  The clock was actually going.  Aguilar was ever thorough in his actions.

“Four minutes to brew, and if they don’t come we’ll have tea,” said Audrey, tranquil in the assurance that the advent of Aguilar could not now be long delayed.

“Do you take milk and sugar, darling?” she asked Madame Piriac at the end of the four minutes, which they had spent mainly in a curious silence.  “I believe you do.”

Madame Piriac nodded.

“A little bread-and-butter?  I’m sorry there’s no cake or jam.”

It was while Madame Piriac was stirring her first cup that the drawing-room door opened, and at once there was a terrific shriek.

“Audrey!”

The invader was Miss Ingate.  Close behind Miss Ingate came Jane Foley.

CHAPTER XXXIV

THE TANK-ROOM

“Did you get my letter?” breathed Miss Ingate weakly, after she had a little recovered from the shock, which had the appearance of being terrific.

“No,” said Audrey.  “How could I?  We’re yachting.  Madame Piriac, you know Miss Ingate, don’t you?  And this is my friend Jane Foley.”  She spoke quite easily and naturally, though Miss Ingate in her intense agitation had addressed her as Audrey, whereas the Christian name of Mrs. Moncreiff, on the rare occasions when a Christian name became necessary or advisable, had been Olivia—­or, infrequently, Olive.

“Yachting!”

“Yes.  Haven’t you seen the yacht at the Hard?”

“No!  I did hear something about it, but I’ve been too busy to run after yachts.  We’ve been too busy, haven’t we, Miss Foley?  I even have to keep my dog locked up.  I don’t know what you’ll say.  Aud—­Mrs. Moncreiff!  I really don’t!  But we acted for the best.  Oh!  How dreadfully exciting my life does get at times!  Never since I played the barrel organ all the way down Regent Street have I—!  Oh! dear!”

“Have my tea, and do sit down, Winnie, and remember you’re an Essex woman!” Audrey adjured her, going to the china cupboard to get more cups.

“I’ll just tell you all about it, Mrs. Moncreiff, if you’ll let me,” Jane Foley began with a serene and happy smile, as she limped to a chair.  “I’m quite ready to take all the consequences.  It’s the police again, that’s all.  I don’t know how exactly they got on the track of the Spatts at Frinton.  But I dare say you’ve seen that the police have seized a lot of documents at our head-quarters.  Perhaps that explains it.  Anyway I caught sight of our old friend at Paget Gardens nosing about, and so as soon as it was dark I left the Spatts.  It’s a horrid thing to say, but I never was so glad about anything as I was at leaving the Spatts.  I didn’t tell them where I was going, and they didn’t ask.  I’m sure the poor things were very relieved to have me go.  Miss Ingate tells me to-day she’s heard they’ve both resigned from the Union.  Mr. Spatt went up to London on purpose to do it.  And can you be surprised?”