"If she was only our aunt!" he thought, and then said, without using any
name at all, that he would like lemonade.

Lady Rusper made them tell her the story all through once again, "right
from the beginnin'," as she called it; and just as Hester had got to the
end of her part of it a boy arrived leading Marshall, and Patricia leaped
up and rushed across the lawn to fondle her pony. Then she dashed back for
a piece of sugar, and was off again. The boy said that the blacksmith, who
was also a farrier, had seen Marshall, and declared he was quite sound; but
Snelgrove was done for completely, and the trap was too badly smashed ever
to be much use.

"Put Marshall in the stable," said Aunt May, "and have the trap brought here."

At the news about Snelgrove Patricia began to cry again.

"Well," said Aunt May, "we must see what can be done. I dare say there are
more ponies in the world. But I suppose we shall all be driven to motors
before long. It's a great shame. I spend most of my time detestin' the
things; but they've got to come. And now," she said to Hester, "tell me all
about your home and your caravan;" and Hester again told the story, saying
"Lady Rusper" with an ease that made Gregory gasp.

After lunch they all went to the stables, where, in a loose-box,
beautifully snug in the straw, lay another black spaniel, Venus, with three
puppies ("Oh, the darlings!" cried Hester) snuggling to her.

"Do you think your mother would let you keep a spaniel?" Aunt May asked.

"Oh, yes, now we've got Diogenes as a start," she answered.