must think him dreadfully ignorant for not knowing, but he felt he must
ask."

Smiling at the recollection, Harry lighted another cigarette.

"What did you say?" Daphne asked.

"If it had been the afternoon I think I'd have taken the risk and told
him I didn't know, but as it was the evening--he always gets rather
excited in the evening after dinner and so much Perrier water,--walking
back to the Ritz in the moonlight, and talking about London, I invented
a long story.--No, he won't repeat it, don't be frightened; it was
really rather awful; and when Van Buren gives you his word of honour not
to tell a thing ..."

"You're all right! That must be a great help," said Valentia
sympathetically.

"It shows he has a nice loyal nature," Daphne remarked. "I admire that
sort of thing very much."

"A nice loyal nature! I should think he has! He hates spreading scandal,
and he wouldn't say a single word now to take away the character of Big
Ben--if it was----"

"What?"

"Oh, if it was ever so! You ought to make Daphne wear one of those thin
tulle veils to match her hat. They're jolly--you can get them at that
shop close to me."

"Oh, she needn't, she's going to be manicured, and she's coming back
here for me in a quarter of an hour."

"Good-bye, darling," said Daphne, standing up, and she made a kind of
face, which Valentia understood to mean the word Foster.

"What is the child playing at?" said Harry. "If you two have a code it
would be as well to learn it."

"All right," said Valentia to Daphne.

Harry walked with her to the door and she ran out, saying, "I won't be
long."

"She wants Foster, the baby Guardsman," explained Valentia.

"Oh, why didn't you say so at first? Of course I suppose they've
arranged it. At any rate it's as good as done. Then there must be one
more woman. But never mind now."

Harry sat down beside her and said, in a different voice--he had a very
good voice, especially when he spoke caressingly--

"How interesting you are! One of your eyebrows is a little thicker than
the other."

"Oh, Harry!..."

"How are we all going to get home that evening?"

"What do you think?" she asked.

"Well, it's like this, as you may say. We'll all meet at the Ritz and
dine there. Good. Then we drive in separate vehicles to here, and have
some music. Then I see you both home, and--well, I think that's all.
It's not much."

"I don't quite like the way Lady Walmer looks at you, Harry."

"Oh, Val