n change of mood, "I shall always be dreadfully
afraid of Peel. He seems so perfect."

Bowen laughed. "I'll try and balance matters," he said.

"But you haven't told me," said Patricia, "why you left me alone all at
once. Why did you?" She looked up enquiringly at him.

During the next half an hour Patricia slowly drew from Bowen the whole
story of the plot engineered by Lady Tanagra.

"But why," questioned Patricia, "were you going away if you knew
that--that everything would come all right?"

"I had given up hope, and I couldn't break my promise to Tan. I
convinced myself that you didn't care."

Patricia held out her hand with a smile. Bowen bent and kissed it.

"I wonder what you are thinking of me?" She looked up at him
anxiously. "I'm very much at your mercy now, Peter, aren't I? You
won't let me ever regret it, will you?"

"Do you regret it?" he whispered, bending towards her, conscious of the
fragrance of her hair.

"It's such an unconditional surrender," she complained. "All my pride
is bruised and trampled underfoot. You have me at such a disadvantage."

"So long as I've got you I don't care," he laughed.

"Peter," said Patricia after a few minutes of silence, "I want you to
ring up Tanagra and Godfrey Elton and ask them to dine here this
evening. They must put off any other engagement. Tell them I say so."

"But can't we----?" began Bowen.

"There, you are making me regret already," she said with a flash of her
old vivacity.

Bowen flew to the telephone. By a lucky chance Elton was calling at
Grosvenor Square, and Bowen was able to get them both with one call.
He was a little disappointed, however, at not having Patricia to
himself that evening.

"When shall we get married?" Bowen asked eagerly, as Patricia rose and
announced that she must go and repair damages to her face and garments.

"I will tell you after dinner," she said as she walked towards the door.

II

"It is only the impecunious who are constrained to be modest," remarked
Elton as the four sat smoking in Bowen's room after dinner.

"Is that an apology, or merely a statement of fact?" asked Lady Tanagra.

"I think," remarked Patricia quietly, "that it is an apology."

Elton looked across at her with one of those quick movements of his
eyes that showed how alert his mind was, in spite of the languid ease
of his manner.

"And now," continued Patricia, "I have something very important to say
to you all."

"