"I shouldn't pretend--anything," she retorted. "Please tell me why you're
here."
"Oh, that's quite a different proposition! I can answer that one. I'm here
as the emissary of my respected Aunt Susan."
"Lady Susan?"
"Yes. We've just walked over from White Windows, and when we arrived and
found you were out, and that the delightful old Devonshire party who opened
the door to us could supply no recent data concerning your whereabouts,
Aunt Susan collapsed into a comfortable chair and sent me to spy out the
land."
Ann sprang up out of the hammock.
"How good of her to have walked over in all this heat!" she said, preparing
to lead the way back to the house.
"It was my doing," he replied with an air of complacency, as they walked on
together. "I only arrived yesterday and she talked so much about you that I
was consumed with a quite pardonable anxiety to meet you."
"I hope you found it worth the three-mile walk," commented Ann dryly.
"Oh, quite," he returned with conviction. "I always like making new
friends."
The cool assurance of the assertion annoyed her.
"We've hardly got to that stage yet," she observed distantly.
"No. But we shall do"--confidently.
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