"Listen to me, Terry dearest," he spoke coaxingly, "don't be a baby.
What is it that you're asking me to do? Is it to see him for you and to
break the news that you've altered your mind over night. You know he'll
want reasons. What shall I tell----?"

She lifted her head, stretching back her throat so that all her face
looked up at him. "If you'll still have me----" His hands on her
shoulders tightened. "Say that you still want me, Tabs." For answer his
head slowly nodded, but his eyes never left her eyes. "Tell him that I'm
engaged to you, instead."

In the tumult of surprised desire he bent over her, but he got no
further, for a tap fell on the panel of the door and the handle turned.
He drew himself upright quickly and stepped back aloofly. "What is it?"

"A telegram, your Lordship." Ann entered. "I told the girl to wait in
case there was an answer."

He tore it open, glanced through it and handed it to Terry. To Ann he
said, "There won't be any answer."

Terry read, "_Shall be delighted to have you lunch with me to-day Savoy
Hotel one o'clock. Braithwaite._" She examined the address and looked up
startled, "But it's to you. It's--it's as though he knew we were
together. What made him send it?"

When Tabs answered there was no echo of her excitement in his voice. "I
wrote him yesterday asking him to call here. Evidently he preferred a
more public place."

She glanced at him shrewdly. "Why did you write him? You must have done
that between leaving me and coming to our house to dine. I know it's no
good my asking you." Her last words were more of a question than an
assertion. "I can see that it's no good my asking you." "No, Terry, it's
no good. Braithwaite's past is his own secret. But I can pledge you my
word that it bears no stain."

"Then why shouldn't he----?" She changed her question. "Shall you meet
him to-day at lunch?"

"Yes."

"Shall you tell him what we've----?"

"Not all of it, Terry."

"Why not all of it? Which part are you going to leave out?"

He came again to where she sat and stood gazing down on her. "Terry, why
do you want me to tell him? Why can't you tell him yourself? It would be
kinder."

"Because---- Oh, Tabs, you do want me, don't you? Because I daren't
trust myself to see him."

"And so you want me to tell him we're engaged because you daren't trust
yourself to tell him! Isn't that it?"

She nodded.

"And you daren't trust yourself to tell him because the moment you