Out of sight had perhaps been out of mind, but no sooner were they once more in sight and touch than the old liking was strong between them. Old friendships do not always endure as characters develop and circumstances change, but in this case each was secretly a little surprised to find how quickly the five years’ gap was bridged. When Anthony urged him to come down to Field End, Frank could very easily have refused, but found that he had no desire to do so.

“It’s old Jonathan Field’s place. He’s some sort of a cousin of my mother’s. There’s no wife, but he’s got two nieces. They are giving a dance, and I’ve been asked to bring another man. They’ll put us up. I suppose you get an occasional Saturday night and Sunday off?”

Frank nodded. If it hadn’t been for Jonathan Field’s name, he might have said, “No,” just like that. As it was, he said quickly,

“The Jonathan Field-the fingerprint man?” Regardless of grammar, Anthony Hallam said, “That’s him. Extraordinary hobby. He has the fingerprints of everyone who has ever stayed there-his version of a visitors’ book. I asked him whether some of them didn’t object, and he wagged a finger at me and said he would nourish the deepest suspicions of anyone who did.” Frank said,

“That didn’t exactly answer the question, did it?”

“Oh, he didn’t want to answer it, but I asked Georgina -”

“And who is Georgina?”

Anthony laughed. The laugh had a warm, pleased sound.

“Wait and see! She’s the niece who lives with him, Georgina Grey. I won’t attempt to describe her.”

“Didn’t you say there were two nieces?”

“Oh, the other one is a sort of cousin, not really a niece at all. Her name is Mirrie Field. She’s a recent introduction. Little bit of a thing, with eyelashes.”

It was at this point that Cicely came up and made a face at them.