Mrs. Fazackerly nodded.

“When?” I said, and Christopher Ambrey at the same moment said, “Why?”

“Very soon. And he’s coming because—” Nancy paused and then said in a slightly awe-stricken way: “She’s written and asked him to come.”

“Did she tell you so?”

“Captain Patch did.”

“And did he tell you why she did anything so astonishing?”

“Not exactly. I got an impression, though.” She hesitated.

“I think I’ll tell you. I think, in a way, he rather wanted me to tell people—especially if anyone is talking about them.”

“Everyone is talking about them,” I assured her. “Please add to the number.”

All the same, I knew that what she wanted to say was, by comparison with the tittle-tattle that was going on, something serious.