the beast, aren't we?"

Nan looked back at him composedly--at the strong, ugly face and
far-visioned eyes.

"Not in the least," she replied judicially. "We're--different, that's
all. And"--smiling faintly--"you're rather grubby just at present."

"I suppose I am." He glanced ruefully down at his mud-bespattered
coat. "I oughtn't to have come in here like this," he added with an
awkward attempt at apology. "Only I couldn't wait to see you."

"Well, go and have your tub and a change," she said, with a small,
indulgent laugh. "And by dinner time you'll have a better opinion of
your outward man."

It was not until after dinner that she mentioned the concerto to him,
snatching an opportunity when they chanced to find themselves alone for
a few minutes. Some distracted young married woman from the village
had called to ask Lady Gertrude's advice as to how she should deal with
a husband who seemed to find his chief entertainment in life in beating
her with a broomstick and in threatening to "do her in" altogether if
the application of the broomstick proved barren of wifely improvement.
Accordingly, Lady Gertrude, accompanied by her aide-de-camp, Isobel,
were interviewing the poor, terrified creature with a view to
ameliorating her lot.

"It's good, Roger," said Nan, when she had told him that the concerto
was finished. "It's really good. And I want you to hear it first of
anyone."

Roger smiled down at her. He was obviously pleased.

"Of course I must hear it first," he answered. "I'm your lawful lord
and master, remember."

"Not yet?" she objected hastily.

He threw his arm round her and pulled her into his embrace.

"No. But very soon," he said.

"You won't beat me, I suppose--like Mrs. Pike's husband?" she suggested
teasingly, with a gesture towards the room where Lady Gertrude and
Isobel were closeted with the woman from the village.

His arm tightened round her possessively.

"I don't know," he said slowly. "I might--if I couldn't manage you any
other way."

"Roger!"

There was almost a note of fear in her quick, astonished exclamation.
With his arm gripped round her she recognised how utterly powerless she
would be against his immense strength, and something flint-like and
merciless in the expression of those piercing eyes which were blazing
down at her made her feel, with a sudden catch at her heart, as though
he might actually do the thing he said.

"I hope it won't come to beating