ever shielded from the
relentless pressure of her life. The temptation was more subtle and
harder to withstand than on the sunny, gorse-covered cliff at Milton,
for it was her need and her pain that cried for help and love, and she
who suffered because he withstood. He could in no wise see what course
he was to take beyond the minute, but he knew quite clearly what
course he must not take, and such surety was the reward he won from
that other fight.

He answered her appeal now with quite other words than those she
perhaps sought, and it was the hardest pang of all to know it and
recognise the vague discomfort in her eyes.

"You mustn't be unfair to Geoffry, Patricia. You haven't any right to
say that. He will want to do his best for you when he understands."

"He went away."

"I sent him. I--I was afraid you were going to cry."

Had he done wrong? He cast his thoughts back rapidly. He knew he could
not have borne that they two should witness one of her wild fits of
repentance and misery. It would have been unbearably unfit. He could
not have left her to Geoffry, and yet it had been Geoffry's right. He
walked on by her side wondering where he had blundered.

"You would not have gone, Christopher, no matter who said so." Her
directness was dangerous. She was then going to allow herself no
illusions of any kind, not even concerning the man she loved, and
Christopher became suddenly aware he was very young: that they were
all three very young, and had no previous experience to guide them in
this difficult pass, but must gain it for themselves, gain it perhaps
at greater cost than he could willingly contemplate.

"It is no question of me, whatever," he said slowly. "I've been used
to you and I understand. I don't know how it would be if I had not
known, neither do you, but it's clear, you or Nevil must explain the
matter to Geoffry at once."

"You can do it."

"It's not my place."

"You were there."

"That was mere chance."

She slipped her arm through his in the old way.

"Dear Christopher, I love Nevil, and he's awfully good, but you are
like my own brother. Please pretend you are really. If I had a
brother, he would see Geoffry for me."

"But Nevil might not like it."

It was a difficult pass, for how could he explain to her it was of
Geoffry he was thinking, not of Nevil. His evasion at least raised a
little smile.

"Nevil! An explanation taken off his hands!" She spread her own abroad
in mock ama