"My dear boy, if it had been Southend it would have been all the same.
We are going where Mr Elgood goes, for Mr Elgood, you must know, is
the editor of The Loadstar--the man of all others who could give you a
helping hand. Now, Ron, I am quite prepared for you to be shocked, but
I know that you will agree in the end, so please give in as quickly as
possible, and don't make a fuss. You have been sending unknown poems to
unknown editors for the last two years, with practically no result.
It's not the fault of your poems--of that I am convinced. In ten years'
time every one will rave about them, but you can't afford to wait ten
years, or even ten months. Our only hope is to interest some big
literary light, whose verdict can't be ignored, and persuade him to
plead your cause, or at least to give you such encouragement as will
satisfy father that you are not deluded by your own conceit. I've
thought and thought, and lain awake thinking, till I feel quite tired
out, and then at last I hit on this plan,--to find out where Mr Elgood
is going for his holidays, and go to the same place, so that he can't
help getting to know us, whatever he may wish. Ordinary methods are
useless at this stage of affairs. We must try a desperate remedy for a
desperate situation!"
"I'm sure I am willing. I would try any crazy plan that had a
possibility of success for the next three months. But yours isn't
possible. The landlady won't take ladies. That's an unsurmountable
objection at the start."
But Margot only preened her head with a smile of undaunted self-
confidence.
"She'll take me!" she declared complacently. "She can't refuse me
shelter for a night at least, after such a long, tiring journey, and
I'll be such a perfect dear, that after twenty-four hours she wouldn't
be bribed to do without me! You can leave Mrs McNab to me, Ron. I'll
manage her. Very well then, there we shall be, away from the madding
crowd, shut up in that lonely Highland glen, in the quaint little inn;
two nice, amiable, attractive young people with nothing to do but make
ourselves amiable and useful to our companions. Mr Elgood can't be
young; he is certainly middle-aged, perhaps quite old; he will be very
tired after his year's work, and perhaps even ill. Very well then, we
will wait upon him and save him trouble! You shall bicycle to the
village for his tobacco and papers, and I'll read aloud and bring him
cups of tea. We won't worry him, but we'll be there all the time,
waiting and watching for an opportunity. One never knows what may
happen in the country. He might slip into the river some day, and you
could drag him out. Ronald, wouldn't it be perfectly lovely if you
could save his life!"