aned closer, comforting him by the feel of her nearness. Then her
practical brain suggested needs more pedestrian, none the less
essential.

"Dearest--you're simply exhausted. How about tea--or a peg?"

He pleaded for a peg, if permissible. She fetched it herself; made tea;
plied him with sandwiches and sugared cakes, for which he still retained
his boyish weakness.

But talking proved difficult. There were uncomfortable gaps. In their
first uplifted moment all had seemed well. Love-making was simple,
elemental, satisfying. Beyond the initial glamour and passion of
courtship they had scarcely adventured, when the fabric of their world
was shattered by the startling events of those four days. Both were
realising--as they stepped cautiously among the fragments--that, for all
their surface intimacy, they were still strangers underneath.

Roy took refuge in talk about Lahore; the high tribute paid to the
conduct of all troops--British and Indian--and police, under peculiarly
exasperating circumstances, the C.O.'s conviction that unless sterner
measures were taken--and adhered to--there would be more outbreaks, at
shorter intervals, better organised....

He hoped her charming air of interest was genuine, but felt by no means
sure. And all the while, he was craving to know what she had to say for
herself; yet doubting whether he could stand the lightest touch on his
open wound. Lance had begged him not to hurt her. Had it ever occurred
to that devout lover how sharply she might hurt him?

Tea and a restful hour in an arm-chair eased the strain a little. Then
Rose suggested the garden, knowing him susceptible to the large healing
influences of earth and sky; also with diplomatic intent to draw him
away from the house before her mother's meteoric visitation.

And she was only just in time. The rattle of rickshaw wheels came up the
main path two minutes after they had turned out of it towards a
favourite nook, which she had strangely grown to love in the last two
weeks.

"Poor darling! You've just missed Mother!" She condoled with him,
smiling sidelong under her lashes; and she almost blessed her maternal
enemy for bringing back the familiar gleam into his eyes.

"Bad luck! Ought we to go in again?"

"Gracious, no. She's only tearing home to change for an early dinner at
Penshurst and the theatre. Anyway, please note, you're immune from the
formalities. We're going to have a peaceful time, quite independent of
Simla