ULY was almost over before it occurred to her that at present there had been no summer at all worthy of the name, and that, if there was any idea among the powers of the air of having one, it was time to set about it. So one morning she sent a note to the said powers saying that no doubt it had escaped their memory that she would be off in exactly four days, and would be disgraced for ever in the meteorological records unless they did something for her. She reminded them also that it was really time for the folk to leave London, and get into the country for the good both of their bodies and souls; and that the most effectual way of promoting their exit was to send a few really hot days. Finally, in a postscript, she said that owing to the inclemency of the weather the young people generally had had none of the good, old-fashioned love-making in gardens and lanes, and she would like to see a little of it before she went.
The powers of the air saw the reasonableness of all this, put the cork into the big bottle which holds the north wind, telegraphed to the celestial charwoman to sweep all the clouds away for the present into the corner, where she could use them for a thunderstorm, say in a week's time, and gave orders that the sun should be cleaned up at once and turned on full. So July thanked them, took off her hat, for the southerly breeze was pleasant in the shade, and sat down to watch what would happen. Her seat was among the heather and pine woods of the Sussex wold, where pleasant houses nestle on the hillside, and from the gardens one may step straight on to the heathery ridges of Ashdown Forest, where, mingled with the purple, lie patches of gorse, like patches of sunlight, and to the south rises the long line of the downs.
It was about three o'clock of a broiling afternoon, and two young men were lying on the grass, beneath the shade of the shrubbery that bounded the lawn. Two golf-bags were cast on the grass beside them, and beyond the line of shadow lay the croquet-ground, on a piece of perfect turf, set out in no hap-hazard fashion, but with absolute precision of line, while the hoops themselves were of paralyzing narrowness. Beyond again was a tennis-court of the same business-like aspect, while the lines of physical fitness in the lounging figures and the clear, sun-burned faces would seem to indicate a similar probable precision in their performances. One had in front of him a small piece of paper on which he had jotted down a word or two, and for the moment there was silence.
"That's settled then," he said, "and you, Margery and I begin with a threesome at golf to-morrow. We'll start at ten, and shall have finished at twelve. Pea-rifle till lunch. After lunch, croquet, ten minutes limit, then tennis. Golly, how hot we shall be. And what's the fifth event, Dick?"
Dick sat up.
"I promised Margery she should settle the fifth event," he said. "I expect she'll say putting on the lawn, in which case, you and I, my poor man, will take exceedingly back seats. I don't think putting is a fair event. Margery knows the lawn. However, she ought to be pretty tired by then. Jack, why is she such an infernally good putter?"
Jack laughed.
"The Lord knows. So do I, really. She thinks they are all going down. So most of them do."
"Well, I think that. Only most of them don't."
"When does she come?" asked Jack.
"Dinner train. We might ride over to the station and meet her. And this evening it will be just you and she and I. Mother can't come till to-morrow."
Jack sat up.
"Oh, I say, is that all right, do you think?" he asked. "I mean ought we to get some sort of silly chaperon?"
Dick started.
"Why on earth?" he asked. "Margery knows we shall be alone; in fact she persuaded my mother not to come down till to-morrow, for that very reason. That's the best of Margery; she has no silly little ideas of that kind. Besides I'm her second cousin.
Jack was silent a moment.
"Oh, if Margery knows, of course it's all right," he said. "I only thought it wouldn't do to spring it on her. You see you are an eligible young man, Dick, and she's an eligible young woman, and I'm—well, I'm the third in the alliance of laughter."
The second ally lay back again on the grass.