"Please, sir, Thompson's hurt his wrist, sir. Starting the----"
"_Confound_ Thompson--he's always doing it. _Why_ does he do it? Eh? Eh? You can't tell me? Tell Miss Ruth to get the other car round at once, d'you hear?"
"Now, Rainer," said the Admiral, "here's the despatch. Take it to Shortholme aerodrome, and bring a receipt back, d'you hear? and keep that girl of mine out of mischief. _Come_ in!"
The door opened, and a slim leather-coated figure appeared. Rainer tried to keep his eyes on the Admiral, but failed dismally, his efforts resulting in a distressing squint. His flapper of two years ago was now a calm, self-possessed, and extremely pretty girl, who, in her rôle of amateur chauffeur, did not seem even to be aware of his presence in the room.
"The car is ready, father," she said, and vanished, leaving the startled Rainer gaping at a vision of neat black gaiters beneath her short skirt.
"Well, you'd better get on then," said the Admiral. "But, by the way, tell Forrest--Wing-Commander Forrest--to keep an eye on his machines. There are three German prisoners loose near here--two pilots and a mechanic from their Flying Corps. They may try and steal a machine to get away on. Tell him to lock up his hangars, or whatever he calls the things, and--all right--get on--get on. What are you waiting for?"
Rainer, nothing loath, took his dismissal. He hurried across the hall, cramming the despatch, in its stiff parchment envelope, into the inside pocket of his overcoat as he went. The car was standing purring at the door, a leakage of light from the side-lamps shining on a demure little face behind the screen, and showing him also that the back near-side door was standing invitingly open.
"You little darling," he thought, "as if you didn't _know_ what you are in for." He firmly closed the back door, sat down in the vacant front seat, and reached over to pull in a rug from behind him. As he did so the clutch was gently engaged and the car slid quietly down the drive.
"It's jolly nice your driving me like this, Miss Woodcote," he said. "Do you drive many despatch officers?"
"Why, yes, Mr Rainer; Thompson and I take turns at it."
"You didn't seem surprised to see me in your father's study."