to her favourite melodrama. "He
would like to do you an injury--if he dared!"

Forrester smiled.

"I don't think there is any cause for alarm," he said cynically. "I am
certainly not afraid of Travers."

There was an impatient dismissal in his voice, and Peg could see that he
thought she was making a fuss about nothing. She wished she could think
the same, but her heart was full of apprehension.

She knew the class of men her stepfather and Travers were, even better
than Forrester knew, and she was about to renew her pleading when the
door opened and Faith came in.

There was a little silence, then Peg laughed.

"You've got back, then," she said.

Faith did not answer, and Peg shrugged her shoulders and walked past her
out of the room.

Faith shut the door and looked at her husband.

"I suppose she told you," she said breathlessly.

The Beggar Man raised his brows.

"Told me? What has she told me?"

"That I have asked her to go."

"Asked her to go?" He echoed her words with blank incredulity.

"Yes." Faith looked at him with burning eyes. Was he really surprised,
or was this an arranged thing between them, she wondered.

"Yes, I ... I think I would rather live here alone," she said
unsteadily.

Forrester's eyes never left her face.

"But, surely, after all Miss Fraser has done for you," he began in
perplexity.

Faith flushed hotly.

"I know, but--all the same--I want her to go." He shrugged his
shoulders.

"Very well--tell her so."

"I have told her," said Faith tersely.

"Well?"

"She said that she came here because you asked her. She said that you
were master of the house and she would only go if you said you wished
it."

She stopped, her breath coming fast. What was he going to say?

Her strained eyes saw the wave of colour that rushed to his face, and
her heart contracted with bitter jealousy.

"I am sorry," Forrester said gently. "But it is quite impossible. After
all that has happened, I could never ask Miss Fraser to leave the house
... even if I wished it."

"You mean that you don't wish it?" He was amazed at the intensity of
her question. He could not understand the situation at all, but
something in it vaguely irritated him.

"Certainly I do not wish her to go," he said.

Faith turned to the door. Her childish face was hard and determined.

Forrester rose to his feet vaguely uneasy.

"Faith, come here."

She stopped, but did not turn.

"Come here, I said, Faith."