"Then you can tell something out of a book."
"Suppose I can't remember anything?"
"You must. It needn't be grand; we're not a critical audience."
"I'm very stupid at telling things," said Monica; "might I read you something instead?"
"If you've got it here."
"As it happens, I have," replied Monica, opening a bound volume of a magazine which she held in her hand. "I brought this book to lend to Miss Russell, as I knew it would interest her. It has a story about the old Manor in the times of the Wars of the Roses, and how Sir Roger Courtenay came to win it for his own. I dare say you might like to hear it."
"If it's about the Manor I'm sure we shall," said Irene. "Who wrote the tale?"
"A gentleman who stayed in the village a year or two ago. He was very enthusiastic about Haversleigh. I suppose he made it up from the short account in the guide-book. All the facts are quite true, though he must have used his imagination for the details. The worst of it is that it's a fairly long story, and if I read it I'm afraid there won't be any time left for you to tell yours."
"Oh, we don't mind that!"
"So much the better!"