“Yes, only it happens to be now that we’re driving—­and it will be cool again, in the evening when I bring you back.”

Nan laughed.

“Nonsense!” she said and put her foot on the step of the car.  Trenby, standing by to help her in, closed his hand firmly round her arm and held her back.  His hawk’s eyes flashed a little.

“I shan’t take you unless you do as I say,” he observed.

She stared at him in astonishment.  Then she turned away as though to re-enter the house.

“Oh, very well,” she replied airily.

Roger bit his lip, then followed her rapidly.  He did not in the least like yielding his point.

“Come back, then—­and catch a cold if you like!” he said ungraciously.

Nan paused and looked up at him.

“Do you think I should catch cold?”

“It’s ten to one you would.”

“Then I’ll do as I’m bid and get an extra coat.”

She went into the house, leaving Trenby rather taken aback by her sudden submission.  But it pleased him, nevertheless.  He liked a woman to be malleable.  It seemed, to him a truly womanly quality—­certainly a wifely one!  Moreover, almost any man experiences a pleasant feeling of complacency when he thinks he has dominated a woman, even over so small a matter as to whether she shall wear an extra coat or not—­although he generally fails to guess the origin of that attractive surrender and comfortably regards it as a tribute to his strong, masculine will-power.  Few women are foolish enough to undeceive him.

“Will I do now?” asked Nan, reappearing and stepping lightly into the car.

Roger smiled approvingly and proceeded to tuck the rugs well round her.  Then he started the engine and soon they were spinning down the drive which ran to the left of Mallow Court gardens towards the village.  They flashed through St. Wennys and turned inland along the great white road that swept away in the direction of Trenby Hall, ten miles distant.  The kennels themselves lay a further four miles beyond the Hall.

“Oh, how gorgeous it is!” exclaimed Nan, as their road cut through a wild piece of open country where, with the sea and the tall cliffs behind them, vista after vista of wooded hills and graciously sloping valleys unfolded in front of them.

“Yes, you get some fine scenery inland,” replied Trenby.  “And the roads are good for motoring.  I suppose you don’t ride?” he added.

“Why should you suppose that?”

“Well”—­a trifle awkwardly—­“one doesn’t expect a Londoner to know much about country pursuits.”

Nan smiled.

“Are you imagining I’ve spent all my life in a Seven Dials slum?” she asked serenely.

“No, no, of course not.  But—­”

“But country people take a very limited view of a Londoner.  We do sometimes get out of town, you know—­and some of us can ride and play games quite nicely!  As a matter of fact I hunted when I was about six.”