But Mr. Glynne had to confess that he was so new to Woodham that he had not yet observed the Blands' house.
"I fancy the name Bland has come before me to-day," he said. "Is there a boy at the school belonging to the family?"
"Yes, Charlie Bland goes to the school," said Aldyth. "He is a nice boy. I know him well, for the Blands are great friends of mine."
Miss Lorraine was moving to and fro between dining room and drawing room on hospitable thoughts intent. Nothing could please her better than that she should be the first lady at Woodham to make the acquaintance of the new master. As for John Glynne, he was beginning to regard his accident as a fortunate occurrence, since it had introduced him to this bright, good-natured woman and her charming niece. Aldyth felt considerable inward amusement as she talked to this wholly unexpected visitor.
"What will Kitty say?" she thought. "She will wish he had fallen from his bicycle at their door."
"Tea is ready. Will you come into the next room, Mr. Glynne?" said Miss Lorraine, rising to lead the way. "Now had you not better rest on the sofa? No, won't you really? Then you must take this easy-chair. There! You look quite interesting with your head bandaged."
At this remark the young man sprang to his feet and looked at himself in the mirror above the mantelshelf He coloured, and laughed as he saw the effect of the bandage.
"I hope it will not be necessary to appear before my pupils in this headgear," he said.
Catching his half-rueful, half-humorous expression, Aldyth broke into a merry laugh, in which her aunt joined.
"You need not fear that," said Miss Lorraine. "The wound will have stanched by and by, and I can remove that unsightly bandage. It really makes you look as if you had been fighting."