&ldquo;It&rsquo;s the Abbey you want.&rdquo; The pleasant hotel-maid smiled down at the girl who had asked a question.<br />She was interested in these visitors. Their luggage had strange overseas labels, and it was understood that they came from Australia.<br />&ldquo;I knew a young chap who went to your part of the world, miss,&rdquo; the girl went on. &ldquo;Sydney, he said.&rdquo;<br />Janice Macdonald nodded. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll tell you about Sydney later on, but first I want to hear about this Abbey. I think it&rsquo;s the place we&rsquo;ve come here to see.&rdquo;<br />She was seventeen, with dark curly hair cut short and waving naturally. Her dark eyes were full of interest as she sat in the window-seat and looked up at the English girl.<br />&ldquo;Somebody in Australia told me about England, and said it was lovely in the spring,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;He knew this part, and he spoke of some old ruins, where monks used to live, and said you could see their bedroom and dining-room, and the place where they did their work during the day. I don&rsquo;t remember all he told me, but I know it was near Wycombe.&rdquo;<br />The maid nodded. &ldquo;That&rsquo;ll be Gracedieu Abbey. I haven&rsquo;t been there, but I know a girl whose sister is in service at the Hall. The Abbey is in the grounds of the Hall.&rdquo;<br />&ldquo;We want to see the Abbey. Is it far from here?&rdquo;<br />&ldquo;You can walk across the hills, but it&rsquo;s a good step; some miles it&rsquo;ll be. Or you can go by train and walk up through the village.&rdquo;