He caught her up in his arms.  “Well, little sweetheart, are we going for our ride?  What does Mummy say?” He laughed down at Daisy, the child mounted high on his shoulder.

Daisy laughed back because she could not help it.  “Oh, Noel, you are incorrigible!  I don’t think I dare trust her to you.  Why do you suggest these headlong things?”

“But, my dear Mrs. Musgrave,” he protested, “does any harm ever come to her when she is with me?  You know I would guard her with my life!”

“Yes, I know,” smiled Daisy.  “But I am not sure that that would be a very great safe-guard.  You are so reckless yourself.  By the way, let me introduce Major Hunt-Goring—­an old friend.  Major Hunt-Goring—­Mr. Wyndham!”

Noel nodded careless acknowledgment.  Hunt-Goring merely lifted his brows momentarily.  He did not greatly care for the boy’s familiarity with his hostess.  It was a privilege which he did not wish to share.

“Well, shall we start?” said Noel.  “I’ve brought one of my polo mounts for Peggy,” he added to Daisy.  “You know the Chimpanzee.  He’s as quiet as a lamb.  Come and give us a send-off!  Really you needn’t be anxious.”

He patted her arm coaxingly, reassuringly, and Hunt-Goring took out his cigarette-case.  He was plainly bored to extinction.

Daisy left him with a smiling apology.  She did not suggest that he should accompany them, and he did not offer to do so.

“I don’t like that man,” declared Peggy as Noel bore her away.  “He looks so ugly when he smiles.”

“Only the Daisies and Peggies of this world manage to look pretty always,” observed Noel gallantly.

For which dainty compliment Daisy frowned upon him.  “My vanity days are over,” she said, “but do remember that hers are yet to come!”

They went round to the front of the bungalow where Noel had left the mounts; and after a good deal of discussion and many injunctions Peggy was, to her huge delight, perched astride the Chimpanzee, a creature of almost human intelligence who plainly took a serious view of his responsibilities, to Daisy’s immense relief.

She watched them ride away together at length at a walking pace, Noel on his tall Waler leading the polo-pony, from whose back Peggy waved her an ardent farewell; and finally went back to her guest feeling reassured.  Noel evidently had no intention of taking any risks with Peggy in his charge.

“It’s very good of him,” she remarked, as she sat down again on the verandah.

Hunt-Goring opened his eyes a quarter of an inch.  “I beg your pardon?”

“Oh, nothing,” said Daisy, feeling slightly annoyed.  “He’s a nice boy, that’s all; and I am grateful to him for being so kind to my little Peggy.”

“It probably answers his purpose,” said Hunt-Goring, smothering a yawn.

Daisy took up her work again in silence.

Hunt-Goring finished his cigarette in dreamy ease before he spoke again.