“Of course I should not like that,” she pondered. “But I do not see what else we can do for you. Oh, and that reminds me! I drove over to Littledean yesterday⁠—Miles, my love, will you be so kind as to fetch me my hat? I protest, the sun⁠—”

“We will move more into the shade,” said her disobliging husband.

“Oh, well! ’tis of no account, though I did hear that Brown was wanting to speak to you about the new cob⁠—”

“ ’Tis prodigious thoughtful of you, Molly, but I met Brown some time ago.”

Lady O’Hara gave it up.

“Well, as I was saying, Jack, I went to call at Horton House. Dear me, what a beautiful girl Diana is, to be sure!”

Carstares tried to think of something to say, and failing, made a noncommittal sound.