"It seems like the natural thing to say I'm glad to see you back," he said slowly, "but--there's a reason why I can't say it at all."
"Then don't dream of saying it." Georgiana leaned her head listlessly against the seamy old tree trunk behind her.
"It's not that I wanted you to go; you know I was altogether too selfish for that," he went on. "But--something happened at the last that made me entirely reconciled to having you go. Can you guess what it was?"
"But you can't. Of course I was pretty well dashed at finding Channing booked for the trip. But--I got over that when--I made up my mind to come, too."
"To come, too!" The head resting against the tree trunk turned quickly. "What _do_ you mean?"
"Jeannette suggested it," said he, with something in his voice which his listener could not quite analyze. "She put it up to me to come over while they should be staying in Devonshire, and join their house party. At first I said I couldn't, but the more I thought of it the more it seemed possible to get over there for a fortnight anyhow. The plan was not to tell you, and to surprise you by walking in on you."
Georgiana stared at him, as well as she could see him through the fervid twilight. "Jimps! Why, how could you get away?"
"There's never a time when it's easy to get away," he admitted; "but everything's in full sail now for the summer, and just lately I've succeeded in getting hold of an awfully competent man who could run things for the month well enough. Anyhow, of course I was dippy at the thought of going and--I promised her I would if I could manage it. I've never had the chance to travel much, and it suddenly struck me that I didn't have to deny myself every possible thing. But, of course, now that you're back----"
"But that makes no difference!" she cried quickly, "Why should it? Jeannette asked you because she wanted you. Of course you must go, if you really can get away."
"She never would have asked me if you hadn't been going. And it was only an afterthought then. If I hadn't gone on for that last hour it wouldn't have occurred to her."
"It occurred to her to wish it, because she said so more than once to me the day I was there. But she didn't dream you could do it. I don't know why we should all consider you a fixture, for your father is much stronger than mine and it couldn't harm him at all to spare you for a little. Of course, you must go, Jimps! When will you start?"