"Here you are, my man." I took the crown he offered me in silence and raised my hat. A crown is worth ten pence. As I was letting in the clutch, I heard Jill's voice on my left.
"Thank you very much indeed for helping us so beautifully," she said, and laid her posy of wild flowers on the seat by my side.
"Thank you, madam."
As we moved off:
"What a queer child!" said Lady Brethe.
Two hours later the girl and I slipped once more out of Laipnik. When we were clear of the town, I stopped for a moment, and she took her old seat by my side. For a minute or two neither of us spoke. Then she reached up and took off my cap and pitched it behind into the car. I laughed.
"I wanted to do that a dozen times this afternoon," she said. "And I'd have done it, too, if I'd had the courage of a field-mouse."
"You know what I've wanted to do a dozen times this afternoon, don't you?"
"And these odious people. Will you ever forgive me? If it's any consolation to you, I nearly died of shame."
"And I nearly punched Berry's head and spoiled it all."