ith _you_ I
shall feel everything so simple and natural and straightforward. I'm
sure you understand me.'

'Certainly,' faltered Alma. 'Yes--I will go----'

'Oh, how sweet of you, dear! Need I say that I should never breathe a
word to Mr. Redgrave? He will think I went alone--as of course I very
well might----'

'But--if the servant should mention to him----?'

'My dear, keep your fall down. And then it is perfectly certain he will
never ask a question. He thinks it such a trivial matter----'

Alma did not entertain the least doubt of her friend's veracity, and
the desire to have a companion on such an expedition seemed to her
natural enough; yet she felt so uneasy at the thought of what she had
consented to do, that even whilst descending the stairs she all but
stopped and begged to be excused. The thought of stealing into
Redgrave's bachelor home, even with Mrs. Strangeways, startled and
offended her self-respect; it seemed an immodesty. She had never been
invited to the bungalow; though Mrs. Carnaby had received and accepted
such an invitation for an afternoon in the summer, when Mrs.
Strangeways did the honours. Redgrave was now scrupulously respectful;
he would not presume so far on their revived acquaintance as to ask her
to Wimbledon. For this very reason--and for others--she had a curiosity
about the bungalow. Its exotic name affected her imagination; as did
the knowledge that Cyrus Redgrave, whom she knew so particularly well,
had built it for his retreat, his privacy. Curiosity and fear of
offending Mrs. Strangeways overcame her serious reluctance. On entering
the carriage she blushed hotly. It was the first time in her life that
she had acted with deliberate disregard of grave moral compunction, and
conscience revenged itself by lowering her in her own eyes.

Mrs. Strangeways talked all the way, but not once of Redgrave; her
theme was the excellence of Alma's playing, which, she declared, had
moved everyone with wonder and delight.

'Several people took it for granted that you were a professional
violinist. I heard one man saying, "How is it I don't know her name?"
Of course, your playing in an amateur is altogether exceptional. Did it
ever occur to you to come forward professionally?'

'I thought of it once, before my marriage.'

'Ah! you really did? I'm not at all surprised. Would Mr. Rolfe look
with disapproval----?'

'I hardly know,' replied Alma, who was not mistress of herself, and
paid lit