s I can find the
Tube and get home? Do you mind?"

"All my time, so long as you want it, is at your service," said Mr.
Brumley with convincing earnestness. "And it's not five minutes to the
gardens. And afterwards a taxi-cab----"

"No," said Lady Harman mindful of her one-and-eightpence, "I prefer a
tube. But that we can talk about later. You're sure, Mr. Brumley, I'm
not invading your time?"

"I wish you could see into my mind," said Mr. Brumley.

She became almost barefaced. "It is so true," she said, "that at lunch
one can't really talk to anyone. And I've so wanted to talk to you. Ever
since we met before."

Mr. Brumley conveyed an unfeigned delight.

"Since then," said Lady Harman, "I've read your _Euphemia_ books." Then
after a little unskilful pause, "again." Then she blushed and added, "I
_had_ read one of them, you know, before."

"Exactly," he said with an infinite helpfulness.

"And you seem so sympathetic, so understanding. I feel that all sorts of
things that are muddled in my mind would come clear if I could have a
really Good Talk. To you...."

They were now through the gates approaching the Albert Memorial. Mr.
Brumley was filled with an idea so desirable that it made him fear to
suggest it.

"Of course we can talk very comfortably here," he said, "under these
great trees. But I do so wish----Have you seen those great borders at
Hampton Court? The whole place is glowing, and in such sunshine as
this----A taxi--will take us there under the hour. If you are free until
half-past five."

_Why shouldn't she?_

The proposal seemed so outrageous to all the world of Lady Harman that
in her present mood she felt it was her duty in the cause of womanhood
to nerve herself and accept it....

"I mustn't be later than half-past five."

"We could snatch a glimpse of it all and be back before then."

"In that case----It would be very agreeable."

(_Why shouldn't she?_ It would no doubt make Sir Isaac furiously
angry--if he heard of it. But it was the sort of thing other women of
her class did; didn't all the novels testify? She had a perfect
right----

And besides, Mr. Brumley was so entirely harmless.)

Sec.4

It had been Lady Harman's clear intention to have a luminous and
illuminating discussion of the peculiar difficulties and perplexities of
her position with Mr. Brumley. Since their first encounter this idea
had grown up in her mind. She was one of those women who turn
instinctively to