Peggy passed her arm around Philippa's shoulders.
"He doesn't want you, darling, but I do! Remain where you're appreciated and I'll take you up presently to see that exceedingly nice-looking Englishman."
Philippa's smile was a little forced; she looked up at Warner every now and then, curiously, questioningly, even reproachfully.
When he had pretended long enough not to be aware of it, he turned and looked at her and laughed. And after Peggy had risen and entered the house, he said:
"Philippa, I don't care to have you any nearer that wall of smoke out yonder than you are at present. That's the only reason I don't want you to go to Ausone in the punt with me."
"You know," she said, "that I might just as well be where you are all the time."
"Why?"
"Is it necessary for me to tell you that if anything happens to you it might as well happen to me at the same time?"
"Nonsense, Philippa——"
"You know it is so," she said quietly.