"And you'll just forget, Caw, that you ever saw Mr. Lancaster in an invidious position here. He has suffered enough."
"I can well believe it, sir; and for Miss Lancaster's sake alone it will be a pleasure for me to make the gentleman feel at home."
"What about Mrs. Lancaster?" put in Teddy.
"If I may say so to Mr. Alan, I hope I know my place in the most trying circumstances."
"Oh, get out, Caw!" laughed Alan. "You needn't suspect everybody!"
"Very good, sir. Only, my master did not admire her, and he was a judge of female character, if ever there was one," said Caw, and with an inclination withdrew.
"Caw is right," said Teddy. "You know I've warned you all along about the lady."
"Rather horrid to be discussing a coming guest in such a fashion," Alan returned. "I think I know Mrs. Lancaster by this time, Teddy. She wants a lot of chestnuts, but she'd never risk burning her own fingers…. Well, I had better go round and pay my thanks to Handyside for keeping Caw company those nights. Will you come?"
Teddy excused himself on the score of correspondence neglected in London.
"By the way," he added, "are your guests to know of the passage?"
"I think not," Alan replied, with a slight flush. "As a matter of fact,
I'm not going to use it again except in an emergency."