ay, father," said Mrs.
Bonsor. "Why not ask her to lunch here to-morrow?"

"Not me, 'Ettie," said Mr. Triggs wisely. "If you want the big fish,
you've got to go out and catch 'em yourself."

There was a pause. Patricia hid a smile in her handkerchief. Mr.
Bonsor was deep in a speech upon the question of rationing fish.

"Well, A. B., what 'ave you got to say?"

"Dear fish may mean revolution," murmured Mr. Bonsor.

Mr. Triggs looked at his son-in-law in amazement.

"What's that you say?" he demanded.

"I--I beg your pardon. I--I was thinking," apologised Mr. Bonsor.

"Now, father," said Mrs. Bonsor, "will you come into the morning-room?
I want to talk to you, and I'm sure Arthur wants to get on with his
work."

Mr. Triggs was reluctantly led away, leaving Patricia to continue the
day's work.

Patricia now saw little of Mr. Triggs, in fact since Lady Tanagra had
announced that Bowen would no longer trouble her, she found life had
become singularly grey. Things that before had amused and interested
her now seemed dull and tedious. Mr. Bolton's jokes were more obvious
than ever, and Mr. Cordal's manners more detestable.

The constant interrogations levelled at her as to where Bowen was, and
why he had not called to see her, she found difficult to answer.
Several times she had gone alone to the theatre, or to a cinema, in
order that it might be thought she was with Bowen. At last the strain
became so intolerable that she spoke to Mrs. Craske-Morton, hinting
that unless Galvin House took a little less interest in her affairs,
she would have to leave.

The effect of her words was instantly manifest. Wherever she moved she
seemed to interrupt whispering groups. When she entered the
dining-room there would be a sudden cessation of conversation, and
everyone would look up with an innocence that was too obvious to
deceive even themselves. If she went into the lounge on her return
from Eaton Square, the same effect was noticeable. When she was
present the conversation was forced and artificial. Sentences would be
begun and left unfinished, as if the speaker had suddenly remembered
that the subject was taboo.

Patricia found herself wishing that they would speak out what was in
their minds. Anything would be preferable to the air of mystery that
seemed to pervade the whole place. She could not be unaware of the
significant glances that were exchanged when it was thought she was not
looking. Several