“Oh, don’t,” she stammered. “Suppose Duncan should see you.”
“I am willing that he should,” Barnard smiled happily. “But don’t worry, your brother is too attentive in another quarter to bother about us.”
“Duncan attentive?” in sharp surprise. “To whom?”
But Barnard’s eyes had wandered to the high jumping going on below them and apparently he did not hear the question. “He’s down!” he shouted as horse and rider plunged headlong to the ground, and for a time he and Janet watched the jumping in absolute silence.
“How do you like your chaperon?” he asked finally.
“Marjorie? Very much, indeed. Father and mother think she is splendid, and she has been just lovely to me. I don’t know how I could have gotten through this month without her.”
“Good; I’m delighted to hear she’s such a success,” he exclaimed heartily. “To be candid, I was afraid the experiment wouldn’t work. Marjorie is not always easy to get along with; she just lost an awfully good job before your mother engaged her. And Marjorie’s so blessed poor, she needs every cent she can make.”
“It is fine the way she helps Madame Yvonett,” said Janet with genuine enthusiasm. “Marjorie took me to see her aunt, and I think she is a darling. I met her cousin there, Captain Nichols——”
“I hope you don’t think he’s a darling also?” in mock jealousy.
“Don’t be absurd!” But a warm color mantled Janet’s face, and to cover her confusion she examined the program. “Oh, I see it is his battery that is to drill this afternoon....”