Miles stood up. "I have a guilty feeling that Miss Ross will strongly disapprove of my disturbing you like this. If you will tell me which way they have gone I will go and meet them."
"They've gone to your uncle's woods, and I think they must be on their way home by now. If you call William he'll answer."
"I won't say good-bye," said Miles, "because I shall come back with them."
"I shall be on duty then," said Meg. "Good-bye."
She turned her face from him and nestled down among her cushions. For a full minute he stood staring at the back of her head, with its crushed and tumbled tangle of short curls.
Then quite silently he took his way out of the Wren's End garden.
Meg shut her eyes very tight. Was it the light that made them smart so?
CHAPTER XIX
THE YOUNG IDEA
SQUIRE WALCOTE had given the Wren's End family the run of his woods, and, what was even more precious, permission to use the river-path through his grounds. Lady Mary, who had no children of her own, was immensely interested in Tony and little Fay, and would give Jan more advice as to their management in an hour than the vicar's wife ever offered during the whole of their acquaintance. But then she had a family of eight.