夜雨聆风They’ll have been sending outsearch parties for you!”
But Megan seemed in an equable mood. She said vaguely:
“Oh, I don’t think so. I often go out and don’t come home for lunch.”
“Yes, my dear child, but you’ve been out for tea and dinner too.”
However, Megan’s lucky star was in the ascendant. The house was darkand silent. On Megan’s advice, we went round to the back and threwstones at Rose’s window.
In due course Rose looked out and with many suppressed exclamationsand palpitations came down to let us in.
“Well now, and I saying you were asleep in your bed. The master andMiss Holland”—(slight sniff after Miss Holland’s name)—“had early sup-per and went for a drive. I said I’d keep an eye to the boys. I thought Iheard you come in when I was up in the nursery trying to quiet Colin, whowas playing up, but you weren’t about when I came down so I thoughtyou’d gone to bed. And that’s what I said when the master came in andasked for you.”
I cut short the conversation by remarking that that was where Meganhad better go now.
“Good night,” said Megan, “and thank you awfully. It’s been the loveliestday I’ve ever had.”
I drove home slightly light-headed still, and tipped the chauffeur hand-somely, offering him a bed if he liked. But he preferred to drive backthrough the night.
The hall door had opened during our colloquy and as he drove away itwas flung wide open and Joanna said:
