Janet Tosswill looked straight into her little son’s face.  She felt that she had perhaps made a mistake in treating Timmy as if he were grown up.  “My dear,” she said very gravely, “remember the Bible says—­’Thou shalt not kill.’”

“Of course I know that,”—­he spoke with a good deal of scorn.  “Of course I want her to die a natural death.”

CHAPTER XVI

“No, you mustn’t come in; I’m tired.  Besides, I’ve got someone coming to tea.”

The ready lie slipped easily off Enid Crofton’s tongue, as Jack Tosswill looked down into her face with a strained, pleading look.  They were standing in the deserted road close to the outside door set in the lichen-covered wall of The Trellis House.  It was already getting dusk, for they had been for a long walk.

“I shall never, never forget to-day!” He gripped her hand hard as he spoke, and she looked up and down the empty road a little apprehensively.  But no one was coming or going, and the group of little old cottages opposite The Trellis House held as yet no twinkling lights.

“I shall never forget it, either,” she said softly.  “But I really must go in now—­you know we are meeting this evening?”

“May I come and fetch you?” he asked.

“No, I’d rather you didn’t do that—­if you don’t mind,” and then, seeing his look of deep disappointment, she added, “Perhaps you will walk back with me after dinner?”

“Of course I will, but I’m afraid Radmore or one of the girls will want to come too.”

As he gazed down into her face there was a look of infinite longing in his eyes, and even she felt a certain touch of genuine emotion sweep over her.  It is so very, very delicious to be loved.

“Good-bye, darling,” he whispered huskily; and, before she had time to stop him, he had taken her in his arms and kissed her, passionately, lingeringly.  Then, with no other word, he released her and went off quickly down the road.

* * * * *

After Enid Crofton had shut the heavy door in the wall behind her, she did not go straight along the path which led to her front door.  Instead, she turned in the gathering darkness to the left, and started walking round the garden which in daylight looked so different, now that Jack Tosswill had put in so many hard mornings’ work at it.

She felt more surprised and moved by what had happened this afternoon than she would have thought possible.  Poor Jack!  Poor, foolish, adoring, priggish boy!

When he had come in this morning, bringing the note of invitation from his step-mother, he had seemed excited and ill at ease.  She had felt vexed at his coming so early, as she was anxious to superintend the jam-making herself.  Enid Crofton had a very practical side to her character, and she was the last person to risk the wasting of good sugar and good fruit through the stupidity of an inexperienced cook.