"I may be letting my imagination run away with me," she said.
"Of course you are, aunt Nesta," said Ann thankfully. "You don't realise what a vivid imagination you have got. When I was typing that last story of yours, I was simply astounded at the ideas you had thought of. I remember saying so to uncle Peter. You can't expect to have a wonderful imagination like yours and not imagine things, can you?"
Mrs. Pett smiled demurely. She looked hopefully at her niece, waiting for more, but Ann had said her say.
"You are perfectly right, my dear child," she said when she was quite sure the eulogy was not to be resumed. "No doubt I have been foolish to suspect this young man. But Lord Wisbeach's words naturally acted more strongly on a mind like mine than they would have done in the case of another woman."
"Of course," said Ann.
She was feeling quite happy now. It had been tense while it had lasted, but everything was all right now.
"And, fortunately," said Mrs. Pett, "there is a way by which we can find out for certain if the young man is really James Crocker."
Ann became rigid again.
"A way? What way?"
"Why, don't you remember, my dear, that Skinner has known James Crocker for years."