“Is it the car?” asked Con. “And why not, miss?”
“Can I manage it, do you think?” asked Hardress. “I’ve only one leg.”
“’Tis as many as I have meself,” returned Con cheerfully. “And I’m not that bad a driver, am I, Miss Norah?”
“You’re not,” Norah answered. “Now I’ll leave you to Con, Captain Hardress: I suppose you’ll learn all about the car before you begin to drive her. Con can run you round to the house afterwards, if you’re tired. The horses are in the stables, too, if you’d care to look at them.”
“Jones have the brown pair out, miss,” said Con. “But the others are all here.”
“Well, you can show them to Captain Hardress, Con. I want him to begin riding Brecon.”
She smiled at Hardress, and ran off, looking back just before the shrubberies hid the stable-yard. Hardress was peering into the bonnet of the car, with Con evidently explaining its inner mysteries; just as she looked, he straightened up, and threw off his coat with a quick gesture.
“He’s all right,” said Norah happily. She hurried on.
The Tired People were off her hands for the morning. Colonel and Mrs. West had gone for a drive; Captain Garrett was playing golf with Major Hunt, who was developing rapidly in playing a one-armed game, and was extremely interested in his own progress. It was the day for posting to Australia, and there was a long letter to Brownie to be finished, and one to Jean Yorke, her chum in Melbourne. Already it was late; in the study, her father had been deep in his letters for over an hour.
But as she came up to the porch she saw him in the hall.