"All right. I'll take you on till he comes. Jump in!"

She obeyed, and they were soon halfway towards the further side. But
about the middle of the lake Buntingford was seized with belated
compunction that he had not done his host's duty to his queer,
inarticulate cousin, Lady Georgina. "I suppose I ought to have gone to
look after her?"

"Not at all," said Helena coolly. "I believe she does it often. She can't
want more than Lady Cynthia--_and_ Geoffrey--_and_ Mawson. People
shouldn't be pampered!"

Her impertinence was so alluring as she sat opposite to him, trailing
both hands in the water, that Buntingford submitted. There was a
momentary silence. Then Helena said:

"Lady Cynthia came to see me the other day. Did you send her?"

"Of course. I wanted you to make friends."

"That we should never do! We were simply born to dislike each other."

"I never heard anything so unreasonable!" said Buntingford warmly.
"Cynthia is a very good creature, and can be excellent company."

Helena gave a shrug.

"What does all that matter?" she said slowly--"when one has
instincts--and intuitions. No!--don't let's talk any more about Lady