Oh!" groaned Lady Tanagra, "spare me from the self-importance of the
newly-engaged girl."

"It has come to my knowledge, Tanagra," proceeded Patricia, "that you
and Mr. Elton did deliberately and wittingly conspire together against
my peace of mind and happiness. There!" she added, "that's almost
legal in its ambiguity, isn't it?"

Lady Tanagra and Elton exchanged glances.

"What do you mean?" demanded Lady Tanagra gaily.

Patricia explained that she had extracted from Bowen the whole story.
Lady Tanagra looked reproachfully at her brother. Then turning to
Patricia she said with unwonted seriousness:

"I saw that was the only way to--to--well get you for a sister-in-law
and," she paused a moment uncertainly. "I knew you were the only girl
for that silly old thing there, who was blundering up the whole
business."

"Your mania for interfering in other people's affairs will be your
ruin, Tanagra," said Patricia as she turned to Elton, her look clearly
enquiring if he had any excuse to offer.

"The old Garden of Eden answer," he said. "A woman tempted me."

"Then we will apply the old Garden of Eden punishment," announced
Patricia.

Elton, who was the first to grasp her meaning, looked anxiously at Lady
Tanagra, who with knitted brows was endeavouring to penetrate to
Patricia's meaning. Bowen was obviously at sea. Suddenly Lady
Tanagra's face flamed and her eyes dropped. Elton stroked the back of
his head, a habit he had when preoccupied--he was never nervous.

"You two," continued Patricia, now thoroughly enjoying herself, "have
precipitated yourselves into my most private affairs, and in return I
am going to take a hand in yours. Peter has asked me when I will marry
him. I said I would tell him after dinner this evening."

Bowen looked across at her eagerly, Elton lit another cigarette, Lady
Tanagra toyed nervously with her amber cigarette-holder.

"I will marry Peter," announced Patricia, "when you, Tanagra," she
paused slightly, "marry Godfrey Elton."

Lady Tanagra looked up with a startled cry. Her eyes were wide with
something that seemed almost fear, then without warning she turned and
buried her head in a cushion and burst into uncontrollable sobbing.

Bowen started up. With a swift movement Patricia went over to his side
and, before he knew what was happening, he was in the corridor
stuttering his astonishment to Patricia.

For an hour the two sat in the lounge below, talking and listen