"Then suppose I come here at four and we drive to Richmond, walk about in the park, dine early, and get back here by nine? That'll be all right, you know, or we'll take a steamer on the river Thames, as the guide-books say, and go to Greenwich. Meanwhile, does Sir George Stringer know that you are here?"
"No; but I am going to write to him, only I didn't think of it till mother wrote."
"I shall tell the Lakemans you are here, of course."
"Yes," she answered, very doubtfully.
"I don't believe you care about them?"
"I've only seen Mrs. Lakeman twice." She stopped a moment. "Mr. Carringford—" she began.
"Why do you call me that? It sounds so absurd."
"Does it," she said, and the color came to her face. "I was going to ask—are you engaged to Lena Lakeman?" She almost laughed, for now, somehow, the question seemed absurd.
"No. Are you engaged to Mr. Garratt?"
"Why, of course not!"