“I—­I don’t agree to that,” Jack said hotly.

“I’m afraid it’s true.  But we really oughtn’t to discuss a woman, even as we are doing now.  The only excuse is that we’re both so fond of her,” said Radmore lightly.

But even as he spoke he felt heavy-hearted.  Jack Tosswill had got it very badly, far worse than he had suspected, and somehow he didn’t believe that the medicine he had just administered had done the young man any good.

CHAPTER XXIV

Two days went by, and now Saturday had come round again.

In a sense nothing had happened during those two days, and to some of the inmates of Old Place the week had seemed extremely long and dull.

Mrs. Crofton had suddenly gone up to town for two nights, and both Jack and Rosamund, in their very different ways, felt depressed and lonely in consequence.  But she was coming back to-day, and Rosamund was going to meet her at the station with the Old Place pony cart.

At breakfast Rosamund suggested that perhaps Godfrey might like to motor her there instead, but to her vexation he didn’t “rise” at all.  He simply observed, rather shortly, that he was going on a rather long business expedition:  and Rosamund retorted, pertly, “Business on a Saturday?  How strange!” to receive the dry reply:  “Yes, it does seem strange, doesn’t it?”

Half an hour later Betty and Timmy were busily engaged in washing up the breakfast things when Godfrey Radmore strolled into the scullery.

“I thought that I was always to be in on this act?” he exclaimed.  And it was true that he had fallen into the way of helping to wash up, turning what had always been a very boresome task into what Timmy to himself called “great fun” for while Radmore washed and dried the plates and dishes, he told them funny things about some of his early experiences in Australia.

“We’ve done quite well without you.  We’re nearly through,” said Betty merrily.  Somehow she felt extraordinarily light-hearted to-day.

Her visitor—­for very well she knew he was her visitor rather than Timmy’s—­came a little nearer, and shut the scullery door behind him.

“Look here,” he said mysteriously, “I want just us three to take a secret expedition to-day.  I think I’ve found my house of dreams!  If you’ll then both run upstairs and put on your things, we could go there and be back in quite good time for tea.”

“For tea?” repeated Betty, startled.  “But who would look after lunch?”

“There’s plenty of delicious cold mutton in the house,” said Radmore decidedly.  He added with a certain touch of cunning:  “I did ask your mother, Timmy, if she’d come too, but she can’t leave the house this morning:  she’s expecting a very important telephone message—­something to do with the garden.  She’ll see about lunch, for she’s particularly anxious,”—­he turned to Betty,—­“that you should have a good blow this time.  We shall get a little lunch while we are out, and be home by four.”