Page:Marsh--The seen and the unseen.djvu/336

312 "That's all nonsense! It isn't as though I was some low cad"

"I see. You think that makes a difference?"

"Of course it does. Edith"

He was interrupted by a tapping at the door. A waiter entered. He had a letter on a salver. Miss Paynter took it It was an English letter, addressed to her in a masculine hand, and marked " Immediate." As her glance fell upon the handwriting she flushed.

"Edith," resumed the Duke, when the waiter had disappeared. The lady cut him short.

"You continue to insult me!" The lady's manner all at once had changed. All traces of a smile had disappeared. Her eyes flashed fire. "Be so good as to let me pass, and this time do not follow me!"

"What is the good of all this humbug? What is your little game?"

"Let me pass!"

She moved forward. He put his arm about her waist But only for an instant. Almost as soon as he had put it there he took it away again. The young lady swept past him through the window and out on to the verandah. Possibly one of the reasons which had induced his Grace of Staines to so speedily remove his too intrusive arm was the fact that Mrs. Paynter had entered the room. The lady came in very quietly. Miss Paynter's back had been turned to the door, so that, although the mother's entrance had been sufficiently obvious to the gentleman, it had been unnoticed by her daughter. When the younger lady had gone the elder lady and the Duke remained face to face.