With one accord Valerie and Anthony smiled. The employment of the title was at once so irregular and so appropriate. Instinct had shown herself to be above raiment. Surely no manner of man ever was paid so exquisite a compliment.
A motor-horn coughed, and Anthony glanced over his shoulder. Then—
"I must go," he said quietly. "Good-bye."
He touched his cap with a smile and left them. Every gazed after him with his hat in his hand. Then he looked at Valerie with wide eyes.
"But—but he's a footman," he said stupidly.
* * * * *
When upon the following day Anthony admitted that he had never seen the view from The Beacon, the Alisons, all three, cried out upon the omission with no uncertain voice.
The four were breakfasting.
"But," declared Anne, "you simply must see it. It's the most wonderful view in the world."
Anthony doubted this. He did not say so, of course, but he would have staked a month's wages that he could have shown them a finer. As it was, he expressed politely enthusiastic astonishment.