"You always were a bit of a coward, weren't you? Well, I'll tell you. You must let Maud Hamilton go in with Mr. Waycott, I think it's all right."
"Why, they are! I wonder they don't announce it, but I expect Miss Honoria doesn't like it."
"You know! I think they're engaged now. He nearly always comes to meet her at the Haven."
"Toney, your romantic nature should be curbed. I don't believe a word of it."
"That's just like a man--awfully opaque. Well, I'm off, I'm going to drive the motor to the station, and come back in the dog-cart."
"No, I'm going quite alone. I want to make friends with the great musician."
"I say, Toney, I don't think that's quite _comme-il-faut_. Now you're a lady of property you mustn't be quite so--so----"
"Oh, Uncle Evas, you do disappoint me! It's Mr. Russell that is spoiling your natural disposition. You're downright snobby! What harm can I do to a poor stranger that comes here to give us pleasure? He's not a wild beast. Good-bye, and wish me luck."
"You won't let--your aunt see you, will you, Toney?"
"No, you bet!" and Toney flew off laughing heartily.
"Can't get the fear of Aunt Dove out of his constitution, poor darling, sort of chronic disease," she said to herself.
Happily the day turned into a dull drizzle, and the county magnates stayed indoors, or they might have seen a flying machine guided by the heiress, dashing up to the station. Toney timed herself always to be exact, with no time to spare. Her face was radiant. She had settled her plan of campaign, and as she walked up and down well "reefed in" with a serge coat and skirt of the simplest description, no one would have guessed that she was the envy of all the impoverished aristocrats of the county. She looked more cheerful than she felt, however. "There's many a slip between the cup and the lip," and that tiresome proverb would float about on the surface of Toney's brain.
The train flustered in with a great show of consequentiality, the slow porters had on the look of "Take it easy, pray," as Toney ran up and down looking for the great man, whose father had once kept a shop. For a moment she thought he had failed to appear, then from the other end of the platform a tall man with a very remarkable face came slowly towards her. He carried a violin case, and a man-servant followed him laden with other luggage.