"Are you very hard up?" he asked.

She nodded. "Horribly. I'm very extravagant, too--at least, Aunt Philippa
says so. I can't bear asking her for money. In fact, I--I--"

She hesitated, avoiding his eyes. "Shall I tell you something, Trevor?"
she said in a whisper. "It's something I haven't told anyone else!"

"Of course tell me!" He took her two hands into his, holding them up
against his heart.

"Well--it's a secret, you know--I--I--" She raised her face in sudden
pleading. "Promise you won't be cross, Trevor."

"I promise, dear," he answered gravely.

"Well, I'm afraid it's rather bad of me. I haven't been paying for things
lately. I simply couldn't. London is a dreadful place for spending money,
isn't it? It's all quite little things, but they mount up shockingly.
And--and--Aunt Philippa is bound to give me some money presently for
my--my trousseau. So I thought--I thought--" She came nearer to him; she
laid her cheek coaxingly against his breast. "Trevor, you said you
wouldn't be cross."

He put his hand on her bright hair. "I am not cross, dear. I am only
sorry."

Chris was inclined to be a little tearful. She did not quite know what
had led her to tell him--it had been the impulse of a moment--but it was
a vast relief to feel he knew.

"I'm not a very good manager, I'm afraid," she said. "But there are
certain things one must have, and they do add up so. I believe it's the
odd halfpennies and farthings that do it. Don't you ever find that?"

"I can quite imagine it," he said.

"Yes, they're so deceptive. I wonder why two-and-elevenpence
three-farthings sound so much less than three shillings. It's a snare and
a delusion. I don't think it ought to be allowed." She raised her head
with her April smile. "I'm very glad I told you, Trevor. You're very nice
about things. I was afraid you would be like Aunt Philippa, but you are
not in the least."

"Thank you, Chris. Now I want to say something very serious to you. Will
you listen--and take it seriously?"

She gave a little sigh. "I know exactly what it is."

"No, you don't know." Mordaunt looked at her with eyes that were gravely
kind. "You are not to jump to conclusions where I am concerned," he said.
"You don't know me well enough. What I have to say is this. I can't have
you in difficulties for want of a little money. Those debts of yours must
be settled at once."

"But, Trevor, Aunt Philippa--"

"Never mind Aunt Philippa. It has nothing to do w