k of Scotland. You'd better give me five
pounds."

"You're very extravagant," she laughed.

"Never mind. Any other trip I've been broke by this time, and in a devil
of a mess as well. Lord knows what these bally dagoes will charge us for
a car out to Pompeii. They're all on the make. But I don't care if they
charge thirteen pounds--"

"Eight and fivepence," she added, laughing at him and running below
to unlock her trunk and bring him the money without a glimmer of
apprehension.

She put the five pounds into his hand in the alley-way. A minute later
he was back with an enormous bunch of grapes lying amongst their green
leaves.

"Lock your door when you come on deck, and shut your porthole," he told
her. "We're coaling, and coal dust gets everywhere--in your eyes, your
finger-nails, your food and your bed if you don't hermetically seal them
all. It's a good place to be away from, a coaling ship."

He darted away before she could mention the grapes. She helped Jimmy
dress, and then, turning him out, examined her three white frocks with
minute care to see in which she should do honour to Pompeii. Often, in
the past, she had dressed a part, but always her personality had been
lost in the part she was playing. Now she consciously dressed as
Marcella; it was probably the first time in her life she had looked
interestedly in a mirror; comparing herself with Mrs. Hetherington, she
felt vaguely dissatisfied: she wished she were much nicer. Noticing the
vine leaves where she had twined them round the rail of her bunk, she
broke off two or three and tucked them in her dress at the waist.
Stepping back, she surveyed the effect, decided that it was as good as
could be managed, and tapped at the partition. She had heard Louis
moving about some time before.

There was no answer, and she decided that he must have gone on deck.

It was crowded with passengers waiting for the little boats to take them
ashore; Italians went here and there selling fruit, postcards and
jewellery straight from Birmingham; two flat coal lighters were drawing
ponderously alongside. She could not see Louis.

From end to end she searched the ship, even going on to the upper deck,
which to-day was not sacred to the upper-class passengers. But he was
nowhere to be seen. A lump came into her throat, her knees felt a little
shaky.

Going below again she saw Knollys looking about eagerly.

"Oh, there you are, miss. Mr. Fame desired me to give you this.