ified, aflame. While he had been speaking,
Maplestone had kept his eyes rigorously averted from her face; he
continued to do so now, and they drove along the quiet lane in a silence
which could be _felt_--a throbbing, palpitating, scorching silence,
which grew momentarily more unendurable. Juliet told herself fiercely
that she was a fool to feel embarrassed. Alice White would not have
been embarrassed. Alice White would have accepted the position as a
pure matter of business. As Alice White's substitute, she must pull
herself together and discuss the matter in a cool, rational fashion. If
only her cheeks were not quite so hot!

"It's--er--rather an unusual proposition, isn't it? It is, as you say,
somewhat difficult to discuss. Suppose," she cried desperately, "we
treat it with a sense of humour! _Don't_ let us be serious. Let us
laugh over it, and then it will become quite easy."

"Oh, thank you, yes. How ripping of you!" His eyes flashed relief. "I
can promise you that it won't be nearly as trying as it sounds. The old
people will be all that is kind, and--er--you understand that he is an
invalid, and his wife is his nurse. They are engrossed with their own
affairs, and won't worry you with questions. It is only in your
supposed connection with me that you will--er--enter into their lives.
As to myself, I have the reputation of being reserved to a fault. They
won't expect me to--er--er--"

Juliet forced a determined smile. "Precisely so! We'll be a model of
all that an engaged couple--ought to be. But I had better not make
myself too agreeable, in case the subsequent breaking off should
prejudice the old people against you. I conclude I am to break it off?"

"Yes, please, if you don't mind--when I meet the real girl. But please
do me credit _pro tem_. The great thing is to demonstrate to the old
man that I seriously think of marriage, and those two years give plenty
of time. You understand that you have an insuperable objection to the
Indian climate?"

"Certainly; that's easy. I've always longed to go, so I shall just turn
my arguments upside down. And--er--where did we meet?"

"Oh, yes, of course, we must have some mutual coaching. There's not
much time now, but after tea they'll expect us to have a _tete-a-tete_;
we'll go over it then. I was introduced to you at Henley. You're the
sister of Phil Lawson, an old school friend. It--er--it was a case at
first sight. We got engaged on