"The nice things we all have to tell you will keep," he said. "Would you mind letting me know in which rooms you have located the ladies?"
Constance, as major domo, gave the information asked for:
"They are in the two bedrooms overhead. Poor things! I am at my wits' end to know how to get their clothing dried. You see, Mr. Pyne, my sister and I have no spare clothes here. We only came to the rock this afternoon, by the merest chance."
"That is just what was troubling me," he answered. "I am sort of interested in one of them."
"Oh," said Constance, "I do wish I could help. But, indeed, my own skirts are wringing wet."
"From what I can make out, then, my prospective step-aunt will catch a very bad cold."
The queer phrase puzzled the girls, but Constance, rarely for her, jumped at a conclusion.
"Your prospective step-aunt. You mean, perhaps, your fiancée's aunt?" she suggested.
"I don't know the lady. No, ma'am. I was right first time. Mrs. Vansittart is going to marry my uncle, so I keep an eye on her stock to that extent."
"How stupid of me!" she explained, whilst a delighted giggle from Enid did not help to mend matters. So Constance became very stately.