"I was about to send the maid up to your room with this shoe, Miss Penny," he smiled. "Doubtless you left it on the mat when you came in from your walk. Allow me!" and before she realized what was happening, he was on one knee and lacing up her shoe. She mumbled her thanks and then followed her aunt and Jon across the yard and into their own sitting-room.

Penny settled down to her breakfast as quietly as she could, hoping that the episode of the shoe would not be referred to again. But it was.

"I don't quite know what you've been up to, darling," her aunt said as she passed her a cup of coffee, "but I have an idea that it's something you shouldn't. Mr. Grandon came over here with your shoe in his hand - at least, he said he thought it must be your shoe - and said that he would like to meet you both. It seemed to me to be a little peculiar for him to have your shoe, but of course I just told him that you were like that!"

Penny reddened and took a hasty gulp of coffee, but before she could answer Jon looked up and said:

"Oh, you know what Penny is, Mother. She was just having a bit of a rag with me and happened to drop her shoe. Your Mr. Grandon is very polite, isn't he? What do you want us to do today? Can we help you indoors as it's so wet? We haven't learnt our way about the house yet."

His mother flashed a quick glance at Penny and then smiled. She was really very understanding.

"That's something you had better learn to do, I agree," she said. "Hurry up with your breakfast and then I've got a surprise for you. I kept it specially for today. Jon! We shall have to fix a 'Private' notice on your door because you are really in the guests' part of the house, but I just had to let you have that room. Penny's doesn't matter, because nobody will ever find their way up there!"

"I can't find my own way," Penny smiled.

When at last they had finished, Mrs. Warrender said:

"I was thinking before you came, that when the hotel is full - and, of course, we hope that it will be all the summer and at times like Christmas and Easter - there isn't going to be much room for you both. We shall always have our meals in my sitting-room, but I can't put up with Penny's untidiness and you can't use your bedrooms for anything but sleeping in - at least Penny can't. I realize now that you ought to have a place of your own and I think I've been lucky enough to find you one. Come and see if you like it," and she led the way upstairs again.