She divined, with feminine quickness, that Mr.
Coventry would be very apt, if he pointed out Bollinghope House to her from the top of a mountain, to say, "Will you be its mistress ?" but, possibly, she did not wish to be hurried, or it may have been only a mere instinct, an irrational impulse of self-defense, with which the judgment had nothing to do; or perhaps it was simple modesty.

Any way, she engaged Jael to be of the party.
It was talked of again at luncheon, and then Mr.Raby put in a word.

"I have one stipulation to make, young people, and that is that you go up the east side, and down the same way.

It is all safe walking on that side.

I shall send you in my four-wheel to the foot of the hill, and George will wait for you there at the 'Colley Dog' public-house, and bring you home again." This was, of course, accepted with thanks, and the four-wheel came round at two o'clock.