at her house, and she was already pinning him down for a further lunch
some time next week, with a grim tenacity of purpose that made it
difficult to evade her. He did not propose to leave his post of
observation at the ballroom door till this dance came to an end; and
as she had as good a right there (since it was her own house) as he,
it was likely that she would get her way. He had begun--which was a
tactical error--by saying he was not free till the end of the week,
and this gave her an advantage. She gave her invitation in a calm,
decided manner--rather in the manner of a dentist making appointments.

"Thursday, Friday, or Saturday will suit me equally well, Lord
Lindfield," she was saying. "I shall have a few people to lunch on all
those days, and you can take your choice. Shall we say Friday?"

"It's awfully kind of you," said he, "but I'm really not quite sure
about Friday. I rather think I'm already engaged."

"Saturday, then," said Mrs. Streatham, "at one-thirty."

"Very kind of you, but I'm away for the week-end, and shall probably
have to leave town in the morning."

"Then let us make it Thursday," said Mrs. Streatham. "And if two o'clock
suits you better than half-past one, it is equally convenient. That will
be delightful."

At the moment the dance came to an end, and Lindfield, to his dismay,
saw Daisy leaving by a further door.

"Very good of you," he said. "I'll be sure to remember. Excuse me."

Mrs. Streatham was quite ready to excuse him now, since she had her
hook in him, and went on to Gladys, who was just passing out.

"Miss Hinton," she said, "do lunch with me on Thursday next. Lord
Lindfield is coming, and, I hope, a few more friends. Or Friday would
suit me equally well. I hope Miss Hanbury will come too. Would you ask
her?--or perhaps it is safer that I should send her a note. Thursday,
then, at two.--Ah! Lord Quantock, I have been looking for you all
evening. Pray lunch here on Thursday next. Lord Lindfield and Miss
Hinton, and that very pretty Daisy--let me see, what is her name?--oh,
yes!--Daisy Hanbury are coming. Or, if you are engaged that day, do drop
in on Friday at the same time."

Lord Lindfield meantime had found Daisy and firmly taken her away from
her partner. Before now, as has been said, the affair was a matter of
common discussion, and her engagement believed to be only a matter of
time; to-night it looked as if the time would be short.

"And I'm coming down to Bray