Ethel began to smile. “Yes, Francis, as you say, there may be something to be said for the idea, but I don’t relish the job of explaining the explanations.”
“Oh, well, if she’s a good sort she’ll see you need help; if she isn’t she’ll help herself off, so it really doesn’t matter.”
We left it at that, and after sitting with me for a while Ethel went into the house to make ready for her guest. Apparently Margaret stayed indoors to help Ethel for I hardly saw her all the morning. Kenneth and Ralph paced slowly up and down in the shade at the side of the house. They paid very little attention to me, and I gathered from their manner that they were going over the facts of “the case” much as I had done the night before. They would stand talking earnestly together, and then, resume their walking, only to stop and talk again a minute later. Once or twice they glanced in my direction. Then Ralph pulled a note-book out of his pocket and they disappeared behind the garage. Kenneth was shaking his head emphatically as they went, and I could guess that he was deriding any suggestion of Ralph’s that did not involve the doctor.
I wondered if the two girls were carrying on a similar conversation, and thought how much happier we should be if the boys would behave more as Margaret did. She suspected The Tundish, and to a less extent, I think, she suspected me, but like an ordinary reasonable mortal she kept her suspicions to herself, until they were confirmed.
Rather shamefacedly, I got out my own notes, and went over them again. Everything that had taken place since their compilation went to confirm the conclusion I had come to—and yet I was still unwilling—there was something fine about the—— I put my papers hurriedly away. The boys were coming from the garage. They stopped in front of my chair and I told them of the unexpected addition to our party.
“Oh, lord!” said Ralph, “and a bride too, she’ll smirk and say ‘my husband’ in every sentence.”
“You needn’t worry, Ralph,” was Kenneth’s comment, “the bride will remove herself at once when she realizes the awful company she’s in. Meanwhile—well, it’s a diversion anyway! And talking of diversions, Jeffcock, would it outrage the proprieties, do you think, if we rigged up a Badminton court over there, and had a knock or two? We could telephone for shuttlecocks.”
“Best thing you can do,” I told him. “We can’t sit about all day like this, we must do something.”
“Here’s Margaret,” said Ralph. “Come along, Margaret, and help us to make a Badminton net. We’ve got some old strawberry netting—can a gentlewoman’s hand accomplish the rest with the help of a bit of clothes-line and a needle and thread?”
“Right,” said Margaret, brief for once, and she retired to fetch her tackle. But just then the front door-bell rang loudly. Through the open door and windows, we heard plainly enough an authoritative voice alternating with a faintly protesting one. Evidently there was an argument between Annie and the owner of the commanding voice, the latter prevailing, for we heard it bearing down on us and we looked at one another in dismay.