to the hearthrug and regarded her mother with maternal eyes.

"Don't you _worry_ about things, mummy," she said.

"Mrs. Bleckhorn told me of such a nice quiet boarding-house, almost
looking on the sea.... One would be safe from Insult there. You
know----" her voice broke for a moment, "he was Insulting, he _meant_ to
be Insulting. I'm--Upset. I've been thinking over it ever since."

Sec.10

Lady Harman came out upon the landing. She felt absolutely without
backing in the world. (If only she hadn't told a lie!) Then with an
effort she directed her course downstairs to the dining-room.

(The lie had been necessary. It was only a detail. It mustn't blind her
to the real issue.)

She entered softly and found her husband standing before the fire
plunged in gloomy thoughts. Upon the marble mantel-shelf behind him was
a little glass; he had been sipping port in spite of the express
prohibition of his doctor and the wine had reddened the veins of his
eyes and variegated the normal pallor of his countenance with little
flushed areas. "Hel-lo," he said looking up suddenly as she closed the
door behind her.

For a moment there was something in their two expressions like that on
the faces of men about to box.

"I want you to understand," she said, and then; "The way you
behaved----"

There was an uncontrollable break in her voice. She had a dreadful
feeling that she might be going to cry. She made a great effort to be
cold and clear.

"I don't think you have a right--just because I am your wife--to control
every moment of my time. In fact you haven't. And I have a right to make
engagements.... I want you to know I am going to an afternoon meeting at
Lady Beach-Mandarin's. Next week. And I have promised to go to Miss
Alimony's to tea."

"Go on," he encouraged grimly.

"I am going to Lady Viping's to dinner, too; she asked me and I
accepted. Later."

She stopped.

He seemed to deliberate. Then suddenly he thrust out a face of pinched
determination.

"You _won't_, my lady," he said. "You bet your life you won't. _No!_ So
_now_ then!"

And then gripping his hands more tightly behind him, he made a step
towards her.

"You're losing your bearings, Lady Harman," he said, speaking with much
intensity in a low earnest voice. "You don't seem to be remembering
where you are. You come and you tell me you're going to do this and
that. Don't you know, Lady Harman, that it's your wifely duty to obey,
to do as I say, t