"
Lady Susan nodded. At different times they had spent a good many enjoyable
hours together, pulling about on the lake, and she had complete confidence
in Ann's ability to manage a rowing-boat.
"Very well. Only don't forget Tony is coming to take you to the dance at
ten and tire yourself out."
Ann laughed and shook her head, and when Lady Susan had departed to bed she
threw a knitted coat over her evening frock and made her way out into the
garden. It was a long, rambling garden, sheltered from the road by a high
wall and, at its farthest end, skirting the lake itself. Here a small
wooden landing-stage had been erected, and moored against it lay a light
rowing-boat--the _Reve_. With practised hands Ann untied the painter,
affixed a light to the bows of the boat, dropped the sculls into the
rowlocks, and rowed quietly out across the placid water.
One by one illuminated boats came creeping round the arm of the bay, each
adding a fresh cluster of twinkling lights to the bobbing multitude already
gathered there. Like a cloud of fireflies they seemed to dart and circle
and hover above the dusky surface of the lake. Motor-launches flashed here
and there, in and out amongst the slower craft, while from one of the lake
steamers, decks and rigging outlined in quivering points of light, came the
inspiriting strains of a band.
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