“Well, actually, no.” Sheila fixed her eyes on Dick. “I was going on a message for Janet when I saw you outside her office. It was love at first sight.”

Janet saw a twinkle in all the men’s eyes, and she could not bear it. She got off the window-ledge and knelt beside Sheila, with a protective arm round her.

“Come on, you’ve been awfully silly, but let’s have it all.”

Slowly and painfully, struggling to make it dramatic, Sheila told her story. When she came to Gladys’ share, she turned to Janet.

“I don’t think she’d have ever thought of it alone. You see, he’d never kissed her and it was difficult for her, but I got her to do it, or I knew she’d never have let me know about Mr. Trent coming home.”

When the story was finished the colonel was the first to speak.

“God bless my soul! Talk about female minds! You better get back into bed, my dear. If I was your mother I’d pack you off on your job in the morning whatever you felt like.”

Maggie’s face was grim.

“You can be sure I will.”

Janet had seen an expression on Donald’s face which made her heart miss a beat.

“Come on, Sheila,” she said kindly. “I’ll tuck you up.”

“Then will you walk with me to the farm?” asked Donald urgently, and felt a new glory in the night when she nodded.

Dick’s hand was already in Barbara’s, and they were disappearing together round the side of the house. The colonel looked after them all and smiled.

“They’ve forgotten me. I suppose Barbara will be back presently.” The night breeze rustled the trees, a sleepy bird cheeped. His voice dropped. “Maggie, my dear, I’m a bit of an old crock, but you’ve a great deal of happiness stored up in that heart of yours that you could give me if you would: and in return I’ll do everything that’s in me power to make you happy.”

Maggie’s eyes were misty, but she managed to smile.

“Including drinking milk?”

The colonel sighed.

“Even that.”

Maggie did not answer for a moment. When she did she spoke hesitantly.

“It’s a big step at your age. You’ll laugh at me, but I feel shy. I mean, won’t people think it queer?”

“Who cares if they do? Bound to be talk; there’s talk about everythin’ in Worsingfold. Kindness really to give’m somethin’ to jabber about. Tell you what, we might have a threesome weddin’. Bit of labour savin’ for the vicar.”

Maggie sat up.