"Yes. Why, what about it?"
"I was only going to say the tennis lawn had quite a lot of shadows on it. Oh, there's no doubt that the plantation is really asserting itself."
Eleven o'clock found me strolling in the grounds with Miss Atherley.
"You know," I said, as we paced Henry's Walk together, "the one thing the plantation wants is for a bird to nest in it. That is the hall-mark of a plantation."
"It's mother's birthday to-morrow. Wouldn't it be a lovely surprise for her?"
"It would, indeed. Unfortunately this is a matter in which you require the co-operation of a feathered friend."
"Couldn't you try to persuade a bird to build a nest in the weeping ash? Just for this once?"
"You're asking me a very difficult thing," I said doubtfully. "Anything else I would do cheerfully for you; but to dictate to a bird on such a very domestic affair—— No, I'm afraid I must refuse."
"It need only just begin to build one," pleaded Miss Atherley, "because mother's going up to town by your train to-morrow. As soon as she's out of the house the bird can go back anywhere else it likes better."
"I will put that to any bird I see to-day," I said, "but I am doubtful."