“There’s a train leaving here in half an hour,” said the man who held the time-table. “I’m going to catch it. Getting sent down just before your Finals isn’t good enough.” Harry interrupted. “Before we decide anything, we’d better go out and speak to her.”
The case was explained to the golden woman. They were most awfully sorry. It wasn’t very gallant conduct on their part; but what other choice had they? Wouldn’t she leave the horses and the guard at the inn, and come back with them to Oxford? Or could they see her on the train to Paddington? Having told the guard to go on with the harnessing, she listened to them quietly. When they had finished she said, “Peter and I are going to drive to London. You’re willing to take a chance, aren’t you, Peter?”
He broke into his boyish laugh. “It’ll be sport. I’ll chance it.”
As the coach moved off he turned and waved to the others, who stood watching from the common. The guard from his back seat, raising the horn, gave them a farewell flourish. In his heart of hearts Peter wished that he were among them. But——. Well, the golden woman had a secret. She was going to tell it to him. It had something to do with Cherry. And it wouldn’t have been decent to have left her to finish the drive alone to London. He’d get the last train back from Paddington, barring accidents.
She was speaking to him. “That’s better. At last we’re alone together.”
“Do you think we’ll do it?” he asked. .
“Do what?”
“Get there in time.”
She drew her brows together. “Peter, Peter, what does it matter? You take life so seriously.”
They laughed.