“Yes, I told you he’d got a lot of money-Mrs. Oakley said so. She’s that sort-she tells you everything.”

Justin laughed.

“Then Martin Oakley probably takes care she doesn’t know anything to tell. Anyhow he’s supposed to be financially sound, and there’s nothing against her, so there seems to be no reason why you shouldn’t take the job.”

An agreeable glow made Dorinda’s colour rise. Justin had actually taken the trouble to find out about the Oakleys because she was going to them. It was frightfully nice of him. She said so.

“Because there isn’t anyone else to do it, is there-only me. And of course it’s much nicer to have the stern parent or guardian or whatnot to do it for you-it gives you a background, if you know what I mean.”

Justin smiled rather nicely.

“I definitely refuse to be a parent.”

Dorinda regarded him with thoughtful appreciation.

“No, you’re much more the right age for a brother-aren’t you?”

She was surprised and a little startled at the warmth with which he said,

“I’m damned if I’ll be a brother, Dorinda!”

In her own mind she put it down to the unlucky blue dress. Justin’s sister would certainly never have bought it just because she liked the colour. She would have had perfect taste, and would never have made him feel ashamed of her in public. She said with artless candour,

“Of course if you’d had a sister she wouldn’t have been a bit like me.”

Justin had retreated behind an enigmatic smile.

“I’ll be a whatnot,” he said.

Chapter IV

Dorinda travelled down to the Mill House next day in a very large Rolls which contained Mrs. Oakley, the nursery governess whose name was Florence Cole, Marty, herself, and, in front beside the chauffeur, Mrs. Oakley’s maid, who looked like an old retainer but had actually only been with her for a week.