‘He has gone home.  I met him as I came.’

’Gone home?  O he is only driving around to keep his horse awake.  It is not a fiery turnout, by any means.’

‘He has gone home,’ Rollo repeated smiling, ’and I did not know enough to order him about again.  But I sent word to Mr. Falkirk that I would take care of you.’

The girl’s brows lifted, then drew slightly together.

‘Thank you—­,’ she said, with rather stately hesitation,—­’but as Mr. Falkirk will send Gotham straight back, I had better wait.’

‘After my message, Mr. Falkirk will not do that,’ said Rollo, looking at his watch.  ‘It is half-past twelve o’clock.’

Hazel leaned her chin in her hand and looked off into the moonshine.  She did not feel like being ‘taken care of,’ a bit, to-night.

‘I am afraid circumstances are affecting Mr. Falkirk’s mind,’ she said at last, with a tone just a trifle provoked; for half-past twelve was a stubborn fact to deal with.  ’Well, Mr. Rollo—­if I can by no means save you the trouble, at what hour will it please you to take it?’

’As there are evidently plots against you, suppose you come to the other side-door, and let us go off without speaking to anybody?’

And so it came to pass that in a few minutes more they were comfortably driving homewards, without supervision, the silent groom behind them not counting one.

They were in a light phaeton, with a new horse in it which could go; the old moon was just rising over the trees; the road free, the pace good.  The gentleman’s tone when he spoke was rather indicative of enjoyment.

‘Who is plotting against you?’

‘Plotting!—­’

‘And now disappointed?’

‘O, it is just some of Gotham’s stupidity,’ said Wych Hazel, with a voice not yet at rest:  she had been oddly conscious of wishing that no one should hear her whispered good-night to Mrs. Seaton and follow to see with whom she went home.  ’He and I are always at cross purposes.’

’A lady in a white dress brought him the message, he says.  But to change the subject—­What is your favourite pleasure?’

‘Riding the wind.’

’Do you remember once—­a great while ago—­promising to give me an afternoon some time?’

‘Did I? it must have been a great while,’ said Wych Hazel.  ’O yes, I do remember.  Well?’

‘Will you put to-morrow afternoon at my disposal?’

’If the thing to be done is within walking distance.  Mr. Falkirk will not let me ride.’

’I have brought home, I think, a nice little saddle horse, which I should like to have you try,’ Rollo went on, not heeding this.

‘Oh!’ she said, with unmistakeable longing.  ’But he has made me refuse at least five-and-forty just such horses this summer.’

‘He will be amenable to reason to-morrow,’ said Rollo comfortably.  ’Shall I tell you what I want to do with you after I have got you on horseback?’