They stood staring at one another. The gentleman found his voice first, but only to repeat in accents of still deeper amazement: ‘Pen?Pen Creed?’
‘Yes, indeed I am!’ Pen assured him, keeping the table between them.
His fists unclenched. ‘But – but what are you doing here? And in those clothes? I don’t understand!’
‘Well, it’s rather a long story,’ Pen said.
He seemed slightly dazed. He ran his hand through his hair, in a gesture she knew well, and said: ‘But Major Daubenay – Sir Richard Wyndham –’
‘They are both part of the story,’ replied Pen. She had been looking keenly at him, and thinking that he had not greatly changed, and she added: ‘I should have known you anywhere! Have I altered so much?’
‘Yes. At least, I don’t know. It’s your hair, I suppose, cut short like that, and – and those clothes!’
He sounded shocked, which made her think that perhaps he had changed a little. ‘Well, I truly am Pen Creed,’ she said.
‘Yes, I see that you are, now that I have had time to look at you. But I cannot understand it! I could not help hearing some of what was said, though I tried not to – until I heard Miss Daubenay’s name!’
‘Please, Piers, don’t fly into a rage again!’ Pen said rather nervously, for she distinctly heard his teeth grind together. ‘I can explain everything!’
‘I do not know whether I am on my head or my heels!’ he complained. ‘You have been imposing on her! How could you do such a thing?Whydid you?’
‘I haven’t!’ said Pen. ‘And I must say, I do think you might be a little more glad to see me!’
‘Of course I am glad! But to come here masquerading as a boy, and playing pranks on a defenceless –Thatwas why she failed last night!’
‘No, it wasn’t! She saw the stammering man killed, and ran away, you stupid creature!’
‘How do you know?’ he asked suspiciously.
‘I was there, of course.’
‘With her?’
‘Yes, but –’
‘Youhavebeen imposing on her!’
‘I tell you it’s no such thing! I met her by the merest chance.’
‘Tell me this!’ commanded Piers. ‘Does she know that you are a girl?’
‘No, but –’
‘I knew it!’ he declared. ‘And I distinctly heard the Major say that she had met you in Bath! I don’t know why you did it, but it is the most damnable trick in the world! And Lydia – deceiving me – encouraging your advances – oh, my eyes are open now!’
‘If you say another word, I shall box your ears!’ said Pen indignantly. ‘I would not have believed you could have grown into such a stupid, tiresome creature! I never met Lydia Daubenay in my life until last night, and if you don’t believe me you may go and ask her!’
He looked rather taken aback, and said in an uncertain tone: ‘But if you did not know her, how came you to be with her in the wood last night?’
‘That was chance. The silly little thing swooned, and I –’
‘She is not a silly little thing!’ interrupted Piers, firing up.
‘Yes, she is, very silly. For what must she do, upon reaching home, but tell her Papa that it was not you she had gone to meet, but me!’
This announcement surprised him. His bewildered grey eyes sought enlightenment in Pen’s face; he said with a rueful grin: ‘Oh Pen, do sit down and explain! You never could tell a story so that one could make head or tail of it!’
She came away from the table, and sat down on the window-seat. After a pained glance at her attire, Piers seated himself beside her. Each took critical stock of the other, but whereas Pen looked Piers frankly over, he surveyed her rather shyly, and showed a tendency to avert his gaze when it encountered hers.
