"Have another?" asked Jack, unruffled, as he pushed his case across the little table by which they were sitting.
"Thank you, no!" replied Tab with quite unnecessary emphasis.
"You've no need to touch your lips with fire, Mr. Taberman," Mrs. Fairhew observed, opening and closing her fan in a way which she had when amused; "you have been sufficiently eloquent in compliments ever since you arrived. May we hope, then," she went on, turning to Castleport, "for the pleasure of your company on the journey?"
"If you and Miss Marchfield do not object, I shall be delighted."
"It will be a great pleasure to me. Of course I can't speak for Katrine."
Jack turned to look at Katrine. On her face the soft light of a Japanese lantern fell between a couple of trees, but she at once moved so that the shadows hid her expression.
"Nothing could please me more, Aunt Anne, than that you should be pleased," she responded.
"Then you had better bring Mr. Taberman and your luggage ashore, and come to luncheon to-morrow," the aunt said, rising. "In that way we can take our time and be comfortable. Does that suit your plans, Mr. Castleport?"
Jack detected the suspicion of mirth in her voice, but he felt that if she had disapproved she would not only have shown no amusement but that she was clever enough to have thwarted his scheme.