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I can't stick him.... Is he a bad egg, or what?" "He is...." "Poor Miss Ross! But why does she have him there?" "Oh, it's a long story and here we are at the junction, and I'm not going on first to Amber Guiting so there!" Jan in the pony-cart was waiting outside when Meg came from the little station. Captain Middleton followed in her train, laden with parcels like a Father Christmas.
"I came to Guiting Green because it's exactly four miles from the Manor House. And I've walked those four miles, Miss Morton, walked 'em for the good of my health. Wish it wasn't so dusty, though look at my boots! I'm going to Cheltenham. Where are you going?" "Cheltenham?" Meg repeated suspiciously. "What are you going to do there?"
It went up and down all day, for Amber Guiting was the terminus. No one was on the platform as he ran along. With the sure instinct of the hunted he passed the carriages with their shut doors. Right at the end was a van with empty milk-cans. He had seen a porter putting them in the moment the train stopped. Tony darted into the van and crouched down between the milk-cans and the wall.
This was on Thursday, and, of course, after two warnings in one afternoon, Miles went down to Amber Guiting on Saturday night. "Aunt Mary, it's such a lovely morning, should you mind very much if I go for a stroll in the woods or slack about in the fresh air, instead of going to church?"
So Miles dexterously led the conversation round to Jan and Wren's End. Lady Pen was looking very beautiful that afternoon. She wore a broad-leaved hat which did not wholly conceal her glorious hair. Hair the same colour as certain short feathery rings that framed a pale, pathetic little face that haunted him. "Talking of Amber Guiting," he said, "did you ever come across a Miss Morton down there?
It occurred to Tony to look after this amazing person who could cross a bridge without stopping to look over when a reel was joyfully proclaiming that some fisherman was having luck. It was a man, and he walked as though he were footsore and tired. There was something dejected and shabby in his appearance, and his clothes looked odd somehow in Amber Guiting.
Walcote, wife of Jan's tenant, was one of his father's, so that he spoke quite truly when he told Meg he had "stacks of relations down at Amber Guiting." Colonel Walcote was much better off than his elder brother, the squire of Amber Guiting, for he benefited by the Middleton money.
After lunch Miles very properly effaced himself, but made a point of asking the Major if he might act as Miss Morton's escort on the journey back to Amber Guiting. The Major graciously accompanied Meg while she did the rest of her shopping, and in the promenade they met the Pottinger party again. The 4.55 was crowded.
Gradually the constant repetition of the various other birds involved, "Juckie-Puckie, Goosie-Loosie, Turkey-lurkey and Swannie-Lonnie," had a soothing effect, and Tony fell asleep. Meanwhile Hugo had hunted through every corner of the four platforms; he had even gone to look for the Amber Guiting train, but was told it always was moved on to a siding directly it had discharged its passengers.
He waved a languid hand to his aunt and uncle as they started for church, and the moment they were out of sight laid down his book and clasped his hands behind his head. The vicar of Amber Guiting was a family man and merciful.
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