"Yes," said Tiel; "if Mr Craigie happens to be going—and I'm afraid we've kept him very late already—I'll tell him all about it as we walk back to his car."
He gave Mr Craigie a confidential glance as though to indicate that he had something private for his ear. Our visitor, on his part, was obviously reluctant to leave an audience of three, especially as it included his admired governess; but Tiel handled the situation with quite extraordinary urbanity and skill. He managed to open the door and all but pushed Mr Craigie out of the room, without a hint of inhospitality, and solely as though he were seeking only his convenience. I could scarcely believe that this was the man who had made at least two fatal mistakes—mistakes, at all events, which had an ominously fatal appearance.
When Mr Craigie had wished us both a very friendly good-bye and the door had closed behind him, I turned instantly to Eileen and cried, perhaps more hotly than politely—
"Well, I have been nicely deceived!"
"By whom?" she asked quietly.
"By you a little and by Tiel very much!"
"How have I deceived you?"
I looked at her a trifle foolishly. After all, I ought to have realised that she must have had some curious adventure in getting into the islands. She had never told me she hadn't, and now I had merely found out what it was.
"You never told me about your governess adventure—or Mr Craigie—or that you were called Holland," I said rather lamely.
She merely laughed.