CHAPTER I. A DISPERSION 



'A telegram! Make haste and open it, Jane; they always make me so nervous! I believe that is the reason Reginald always _will_ telegraph when he is coming,' said Miss Adeline Mohun, a very pretty, well preserved, though delicate-looking lady of some age about forty, as her elder sister, brisk and lively and some years older, came into the room. 

'No, it is not Reggie. It is from Lily. Poor Lily! Jasper--- accident---Come.' 

'Poor dear Lily! Is it young Jasper or old Jasper, I wonder?' 

'If it were young Jasper she would have put Japs. I am afraid it is her husband. If so, she will be going off to him. I must catch the 11.20 train. Will you come, Ada?' 

'Oh no; I should be knocked up, and on your hands. The suspense is bad enough at home.' 

'If it is old Jasper, we shall see in the paper to-day. I will send it down to you from the station. Supposing it is Sir Jasper, and she wants to go out to him, we must take in some of the children.' 

'Oh! Dear little Primrose would be nice enough, but what should we do with that Halfpenny woman? If we had the other girls, I suppose they would be at school all day; but surely some might go to Beechcroft. And mind, Jane, I will not have you overtasking yourself! Do not take any of them without having Gillian to help you. That I stipulate.' 

Jane Mohun seemed as if she did not hear as these sentences were uttered at intervals, while she stood dashing off postcards at her davenport. Then she said, on her way to the door--- 
What time is the train?
11.20