again, wouldn't you?" and suddenly the mystical look I knew so well,
gathered on her face.

"Yes, perhaps I should," I replied doubtfully. "But I must leave by
the first train on Tuesday morning; it goes at eight o'clock. I looked
it up."

"Then the Atterby-Smiths leave on Monday if I have to turn them out of
the house. So we shall get one evening clear at any rate. Stop a
minute," and she rang the bell.

The footman appeared as suddenly as though he had been listening at
the door.

"Alfred," she said, "tell Moxley" (he, I discovered, was the butler)
"that when Mr. and Mrs. Atterby-Smith, the two Misses Atterby-Smith
and the young Mr. Atterby-Smith arrive, they are to be shown to their
rooms. Tell the cook also to put off dinner till half-past eight, and
if Mr. and Mrs. Scroope arrive earlier, tell Moxley to tell them that
I am sorry to be a little late, but that I was delayed by some parish
business. Now do you understand?"

"Yes, my Lady," said Alfred and vanished.

"He doesn't understand in the least," remarked Lady Ragnall, "but so
long as he doesn't show the Atterby-Smiths up here, in which case he
can go away with them on Monday, I don't care. It will all work out
somehow. Now sit down by the fire and let's talk. We've got nearly an
hour and twenty minutes and you can smoke if you like. I learnt to in
Egypt," and she took a cigarette from the mantelpiece and lit it.