“We were all going to take our planes up this afternoon—” she began.
“That can be postponed until four o’clock,” suggested Mr. Clavering, graciously. Ralph, however, frowned moodily, and walked away.
Linda herself was not so sure that she wanted a tête-à-tête with this man. It would be easier to forget him if she did not see much of him. But there was no real reason to refuse, so she met him again at half-past two on the porch.
“I certainly want to congratulate you, Miss Carlton,” he said, as they strolled towards the lake. “And I hear that the prize is money.”
“Yes,” she replied, smiling. “A thousand dollars. But I am sharing it with Amy, because she really found the place.”
“Amy?” he repeated. “That girl—your protégée?”
“Yes.”
“And where is she now?” he asked casually. Linda wondered whether he were merely talking to keep the conversation impersonal. Well, he needn’t worry about her; fascinating as he was, she didn’t want to marry him!
“Her aunt took her away from me,” she replied. “It seems that where the treasure was hidden, was really her old home.”
“Indeed!” he remarked. “And you say you met her aunt? Then you found out who she was, and everything is all right?”