them to him? She was _almost_ sure it was so,though he was rather sunburnt, which made it more difficult to judge.
"Thank you," he said. "Yes, I was bound for East Moddersham. That isto say, not exactly--but--I promised to see Lady Hebe this afternoon,"and as he looked up with the last words, Blanche caught a twinkle of funin his eyes.
They were very nice eyes--honest grey eyes; she had not noticed thembefore. And after glancing at them, she turned her own away in someperplexity.
"Lady Hebe is here," she said. "I don't think she can be expecting you.It has been settled for some time that she was to come."
"Ah then, perhaps you--Mrs Derwent, that is to say--will allow me tospeak to her--Lady Hebe--in your garden. That will save my needing togo to East Moddersham. Sir Conway is away, and my calls on Lady Marthare never pressing."
"He is rather queer," thought Blanche. "I know he and Lady Hebe arevery old friends, but I really don't think she is expecting him thisafternoon."
Mr Dunstan, however, seemed quite satisfied. He spoke cheerfully toHerty, asking him if his foot pained him still, and assuring him that itwould soon be all right again.
"Shall I have to have the doctor?" asked the boy. "I don't likedoctors. The old one at home made me stay in bed when it was _so_ hot.I am sure it made me much iller."
"Oh, our doctors here aren't like that," said Archie. "They're veryjolly fellows. But perhaps you won't need one. I'll have a look atyour ankle if your sister will allow me. I'm a bit of a doctor myself."
Blanche did not speak.
"Blanchie, don't you hear?" said Herty, with a touch of querulousness."It would be much nicer not to have a proper doctor."
"Very well, dear, we'll see," she replied tranquilly. "Mr Dunstan isvery kind."
CHAPTER THIRTEEN.
MILLINERY.
She had spoken in rather a conventional tone, but she was really touchedwhen they got to the house, by Mr Dunstan's extreme gentleness andconcern for the boy. He put Herty on the couch in the library, whichthey found unoccupied, and got his boot and stocking off as skilfully asa surgeon could have done. It was not very bad, but it was a sprain,undoubtedly; and after Blanche, under Archies directions, had appliedcold water bandages, and obtained Herty's promise to lie perfectlystill, she went out to the garden, followed by Mr Dunstan, to explain toher mother and Stasy what had happened.
"I will send Aline in, to look after you, Herty," she said, "if she canpossibly be spared."
Tea was about coming to an end when the two left the house. After all,Blanche had scarcely been missed, for all that had passed since she wentto the wood gate to look for her little brother, had taken but a shorttime, and everybody in the garden was very busy.
But now there came a breathing-space, and more than one began to askwhat had become of Miss Derwent.
"I wonder if she has gone off to look for Herty, and indeed I wonderwhat can have happened to him," said Stasy, with sudden anxiety. For inthe bustle she had forgotten about her little brother.
She was standing beside Hebe as she spoke, and Hebe looked up to answerher.
"I hope--" she began, then stopped abruptly.
"There is your sister," she said, but a curious expression came over herface, as she went on, "and--Archie Dunstan.--What an intrusion! Howdared he?" she went on, to herself, in a lower tone. Stasy did notcatch the words. She only saw the annoyance, almost indignation, onHebe's face.
But the next few minutes cleared up a good deal. Blanche hastened toher mother to tell of Herty's accident and Mr Dunstan's kindness, andMrs Derwent was, naturally, eager in her thanks. Then she hurried in tosee her boy for herself, and Blanche turned to Mr Dunstan.
"You said you wanted to see Lady Hebe; she is over there--standing bythe other table."
"Oh yes, thank you," he answered. But he did not seem in any desperatehurry to speak to his old friend.
"I was thinking," he began again, "that I might perhaps be of use aboutthe doctor. It may be erring on the safe side to let him have a look atthe boy's ankle. I am driving home from East Moddersham, so I couldeasily stop at Blissmore on the way."
"Thank you," said Blanche. "I will see what my mother says."
"Does she want to get rid of me?" thought Archie to himself.
However that may have been, Miss Derwent certainly gave him no excusefor lingering near her, so he strolled across to where Hebe was standingalone for the moment, as the girls had again dispersed.
She would not refuse to shake hands with him, but her usually sunny eyeswere sparkling with indignation.
"Archie," she said, before he had time to speak, "I could not havebelieved this of you. If you call it a good joke, I don't!"
Archie looked at her calmly.
"My dear little lady," he said, with kindly condescension, "it is notlike you to pass judgment on a matter which you know nothing about."
"I do know about it," said Hebe. "I know what you said to me--that byhook or by crook you would manage to get here to-day. How you havemanaged it, I don't know. I only know that you were not justified indoing anything of the kind."
"I don't allow that," said Archie, nettled in spite of his coolness."As it happens, _my_ relation, at whose house I am staying, is the onlyperson who has been decently civil to the Derwents at all."
The colour mounted to Hebe's face.
"You needn't taunt me with that," she said quickly. "I am notresponsible, as you well know, for what Josephine does or does not do."
"Did I say you were?" he replied, raising his eyebrows. "Nor do I takemy own stand on my aunt's behaviour in the matter. If you'll be so goodas to listen, I will tell you how I have come to be here to-day," and hequickly related what had happened.
Hebe's face relaxed.
"It is very extraordinary," she said, half to herself. "And what wereyou doing prowling about the woods, pray?" she said, unable altogetherto suppress a smile.
"Waiting for what fate might throw in my way," he answered calmly.
Just then they caught sight of Mrs Derwent's figure coming towards them.Archie started forward.
"If I thought he was in earnest!" thought Hebe to herself, as shefollowed him more deliberately.
Mr Dunstan's offer of sending the doctor was accepted, as Herty stillseemed in considerable pain, and soon after the whole party dispersed;Archie accompanying Hebe and Miss Milward to East Moddersham, where hehad ordered his dog-cart to meet him.
Herty's sprain proved no very serious matter; but during the nextfortnight or so, it formed a plausible excuse for Mr Dunstan's callingnow and then to inquire how he was, and to bring him once or twice booksor toys to amuse him while he had to lie still.
Mrs Derwent took a great liking to the young man, and so did Stasy, buthe did not seem to get to know Blanche any better. Indeed, on one ortwo occasions he came and went without seeing her at all. Still, hisvisits made a little break in the monotony of life at Pinnerton Lodge.During the week or two, also, which preceded the East Moddershamfamily's removal to town for the season, there were occasional meetingswith Hebe at the vicarage, to discuss guild matters, into which Blanchethrew herself with great thoroughness. Mrs Derwent, always sanguine,began to feel more cheerful as to things in general brightening bydegrees.
But when Lady Hebe had left, and Mr Dunstan had no longer any excuse forlingering--Alderwood also being shut up--life seemed to return much towhat it had been.
"I really don't know what I shall do with myself," said Stasy one day,"when the time comes for me to give up my regular lessons. I almostwish you were not so contented, Blanche; it is really rather irritating.If you would grumble too, things wouldn't seem so bad."
Blanche laughed.
"Do you know, I really don't feel inclined to grumble," she said,"especially now that I've got more to do I do find looking after thesegirls very interesting indeed."
"You're a prig," said Stasy--"a prig or a saint; I've not yet made up mymind which."
Blanche took no notice.
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"Stasy," she said, "I have got an idea in my head. It's not quite a newone; some one proposed it before; but I can't manage it unless you'llhelp me, you're so much cleverer about that sort of thing than I am."
"What sort of thing?" said Stasy.
"Things that require neat-handedness and taste. It's a millinery classfor the girls I'm thinking of. It would be such a surprise to Lady Hebewhen she comes back, to see them with neat, pretty hats. It is just thetime they're getting their summer ones, and they do wear such