me the response.

No wonder woman liked him if he spoke like that to them, she decided.

Suddenly she realised that even she herself could not recognise as her
own the voice with which she was speaking.

"Patricia," she said.

"Patricia!" There was astonishment, almost incredulity in his voice.
So Elton had said nothing. "Where are you? Can I see you?"

Patricia felt her cheeks burn at the eagerness of his tone.

"I'm--I'm going out. I--I'll call for you if you like," she stammered.

"I say, how ripping of you. Come in a taxi or shall I come and fetch
you?"

"No, I--I'm coming now, I'm----" then she put up the receiver. What
was she going to do or say? For a moment she swayed. Was she going to
faint? A momentary deadly sickness seemed to overcome her. She fought
it back fiercely. She must get to the Quadrant. "I shall have to be a
sort of reincarnation of Mrs. Triggs, I think," she murmured as she
staggered past the astonished Gustave, who was just coming from the
lounge, and out of the front door, where she secured a taxi.

CHAPTER XXI

THE GREATEST INDISCRETION

I

In the vestibule of the Quadrant stood Peel, looking a veritable
colossus of negation. As Patricia approached he bowed and led the way
to the lift. As it slid upwards Patricia wondered if Peel could hear
the thumping of her heart, and if so, what he thought of it. She
followed him along the carpeted corridor conscious of a mad desire to
turn and fly. What would Peel do? she wondered. Possibly in the
madness of the moment his mantle of discretion might fall from him, and
he would dash after her. What a sensation for the Quadrant! A girl
tearing along as if for her life pursued by a gentleman's servant. It
would look just like the poster of "Charley's Aunt."

Peel opened the door of Bowen's sitting-room, and Patricia entered with
the smile still on her lips that the thought of "Charley's Aunt" had
aroused. Something seemed to spring towards her from inside the room,
and she found herself caught in a pair of arms and kissed. She
remembered wondering if Peel were behind, or if he had closed the door,
then she abandoned herself to Bowen's embrace.

Everything seemed somehow changed. It was as if someone had suddenly
shouldered her responsibilities, and she would never have to think
again for herself. Her lips, her eyes, her hair, were kissed in turn.
She was being crushed; yet she was conscious only of a feeling o