I'd like you to arrange so that I can see you sometimes, will you ?' 'I'm not going to disappear yet,' Lady Maud answered gravely.
They reached the stables, which occupied three sides of a square yard.
At that hour the two grooms and the stable-boy were at their supper, and the coachman had gone home to his cottage.

A big brown retriever on a chain was sitting bolt upright beside his kennel, and began to thump the flagstones with his tail as soon as he recognised Lady Maud.
From within a fox-terrier barked two or three times.

Lady Maud opened a door, and he sprang out at her yapping, but was quiet as soon as he knew her.
'You'd better take the Lancashire Lass,' she said to Van Torp.

'You're heavier than my father, but it's not far to ride, and she's a clever creature.' She had turned up the electric light while speaking, for it was dark inside the stable; she got a bridle, went into the box herself, and slipped it over the mare's pretty head.

Van Torp saw that it was useless to offer help.
'Don't bother about a saddle,' he said; 'it's a waste of time.' He touched the mare's face and lips with his hand, and she understood him, and let him lead her out.