"But she says we mustn't mention her name to the police."

"She'd be lumped with common or garden palmists and fortune-tellers, I
suppose."

"Yes, that's what she fears. But she wants to be in our Devonshire house
party at Easter--to save us from something."

Knight looked interested. "Save us from what?"

"She couldn't see it distinctly in the crystal."

He laughed. "She could see distinctly that she wanted to be there.
Well--we hadn't thought of having her. She seemed out of the picture with
the lot who are coming--the Duchess of Peebles, for instance. But we'll
think it over. Why don't you ask Anita? It occurs to me that she is the
one to be consulted."

Now was the moment for Madalena's test.

"The Countess wished me to speak to you alone, and let you decide.
Probably because you're such an old friend. I think she feels that Anita
doesn't care for her."

Knight's face hardened. "She gave you _that_ impression, did she? Yet,
thinking Anita _doesn't_ like her--and she's nearly right--she wants to
come all the same. She wants to presume on my--er--friendship to force
herself on my wife.... Jove! I guess that's a little too strong. It's
time we showed the fair Madalena her place, don't you think so, Lady A?"

"What, precisely, is her place?" Connie laughed.

"Well, she seems determined to push herself into the foreground. My
idea is that what artists call middle distance is better suited to her
colouring. Seriously, I resent her putting you up to appeal to me--over
Anita's head. I'm not taking any!

"Please tell her, or write--or phone--or whatever you've arranged to
do--that we're both sorry--say '_both_,' please--that we don't feel
justified in persuading you to add her to the list of guests this time,
as Valley House will be full up."

"She will be hurt," objected Constance.

"I'm inclined to think she deserves to be hurt."

"Oh, well, if you've made up your mind! But--she's a charming woman, of
course.... Still, I shouldn't wonder if there's something of the tigress
in her, and she could give a nasty dig."

"Let her try!" said Knight.

In the morning Constance telephoned to the flat in Cadogan Gardens. She
had not long to wait for an answer to her call.

The Countess was evidently expecting to hear from her early in the day.

"He wasn't in the right mood, I'm afraid, when I spoke to him," Connie
temporized. "He seemed to resent your wish to--to--as he expressed
it--'get at him over Anne's head.