trusted you!

FARNCOMBE.

Ask Miss Birch----!

LILY.

Eddie! Lord Farncombe----! [_He releases her and they confront one
another, she panting, he hanging his head guiltily._] W-w-well, I--
I _have_ been mistaken in you.

FARNCOMBE.

[_In despair._] I-- I---- [_Turning from her and hitting his temples
with his fists._] Forgive me. Forgive me.

LILY.

Ha! I-- I thought you were such a quiet, bashful fellow.

FARNCOMBE.

Forgive me. Forgive me.

[_She wavers and then slowly approaches him._

LILY.

[_Gently._] Don't-- don't fret about it. _I_ forgive you. [_Touching
his arm with her finger-tips._] I'm to blame. [_Drawing a deep
breath._] All those dances----!

[_He seizes her hand and kisses it passionately._

FARNCOMBE.

I may see you again? I may see you again? Lily-- Lily--! Lily----!

LILY.

[_In a whisper, averting her head._] N-no-- we'd better not----
[_There is a low but distinct knocking at the door on the left. She
withdraws her hand and they look at each other, he inquiringly, she
with a calm face. The knocking is repeated._] Mother. [_She goes to
the door and speaks with her mouth close to it._] That you, mother?
[_She listens for a reply and again the knocking is heard._] Who is
it? [_She opens the door. JEYES is outside._] Nicko! [_JEYES comes
into the room. He has rid himself of his wig and beard and is wearing
an overcoat buttoned up to his chin and a cap drawn down to his brows.
His face is white and his jaws are set determinedly._] How-- how have
you got in? [_He produces a bunch of keys and grimly displays a
latch-key._] Oh-- oh----! [_Pulling off his cap, JEYES advances to the
table in the centre, glaring at FARNCOMBE. LILY closes the door
sharply and also advances, speaking volubly to FARNCOMBE as she comes
forward._] Captain Jeyes is in the habit of bringing me home from the
theatre after my work; and a long while ago I gave him a latch-key to
carry on his key-ring, so that he could let me into my house whenever
I'd forgotten my own key. He hasn't the slightest right to use it at
any other time; nobody knows that better than he does. It's a
confounded liberty! [_To JEYES, hotly._] What are you doing here at
all at this hour of the morning?

JEYES.

[_After an expressive glance at FARNCOMBE._] An odd question, in the
circumstances.

LILY.

Answer me!

JEYES.

Keeping an eye on _you_.

LILY.

Spying on me!

JEYES.

On you-- [_jerking his head towards FARN