She turned and waved to her mother, who was standing at the top of Borough Lane with Ernie, amongst a little group opposite the Star, where was one of the char-a-bancs of the Touring Syndicate picking up passengers from the Moot.
The Colonel walked down the hill towards them. Ruth, seeing him approach, climbed to her place on the char-a-banc. Ernie handed little Ned to her, and then turned to meet the Colonel.
"Givin Alf the benefit," he said, with a grin. "Backin the family and baptizin the bus. Goin the long drive over the hill to Friston and Seaford; then up the valley to Auston. Dinner there. And home by Hailsham and Langney in the evening.—I wanted her to ask Joe. But she wouldn't. Fickle I call her."
The Colonel glanced up; but Ruth steadfastly refused to meet his eye.
"I suppose one wants the family to one-salf some-times, even a workin-woman doos," she muttered.
And the Colonel saw that Ern had made his remark to show that the tension between him and his wife, so marked yesterday, had eased.
"My wife's right," he thought. "Caspar is a gentleman. Blood does tell."
Just then Alf came down the steps of the Manor-house opposite, looking smug and surly. He crossed the road to the char-a-banc and said a word to the driver.
Ruth leaned over, glad of the diversion.
"Ain't you comin along then, Alf?" she asked quietly.