Her sixth sense, now curiously alert, informed her that in her reception of the news about the gossip, she had in some subtle way disappointed Mrs Grieve.

Why?

*

That question was answered next day, when, in the evening, Canon Thorby came to see her.

He said, ‘I have a proposition to make to you, Miss Mayfield. It’s rather a delicate matter. How unselfish are you?’

‘About average, dare I say?’

‘The situation, is this. There’s poor Barbara Grieve, who really is the most attractive and delightful girl, spending her time being dragged from place to place by her mother, who simply can’t settle. Two years ago she was here between trips, and young Ralph Staples – I don’t think you’ve met him – was obviously very much taken with her. She’s been back here for about three weeks now, and they’ve got together again and the whole affair looks most promising, and now she’s being whisked off again. I’ve been thinking things over, and I wondered whether you wouldn’t accompany Mrs Grieve instead.’

‘To South Africa?’

‘Yes.’ He settled in eagerly to point out the beauties of this, his latest scheme. ‘You see, once Mrs Grieve gets to Cape Town, she’ll have her brother, and a round of friends in no time at all; and you, Miss Mayfield, could go and pay a visit to your friends in Entuba. Don’t you think that would be pleasant? And it would be doing a good turn.’

‘I think that is just your way of putting it. You’re trying to spoil me. And the prospect is very tempting. There are two good reasons, though, why I can’t go with Mrs Grieve.’

‘Mrs Grieve being one. I feared that.’

‘On the contrary. Mrs Grieve and I get on very well; we have more in common than you would think. No. There is the first, the question of money.’

‘Oh, please. You must know by this time that when I make a suggestion of this kind, I’m more than ready to look after all that side of it. Tell me your other reason – and it had better be a good one, because I really do think that the complete rest, the sea trip and seeing your friends would be the very best thing in the world for you just at this moment.’

‘My other reason is that if I left Walwyk just at this moment, it would look as though I had been driven out.’ ‘I don’t quite follow.’

‘Perhaps you haven’t heard the peculiarly nasty rumours that are circulating about me.’

His eyes narrowed, and she knew that he had.

‘I hoped not to be obliged to mention that. It is, surely – and you must see it – a reason for going away and letting the whole horrid thing die down.’

‘No. It’s a reason for staying here.’