er their praise nor blame would have
affected her one iota at the moment. All that mattered was whether,
without in the least intending to do it, she had cut the cords which
bound her so irrevocably. Was it conceivable that Roger's pride would
be so stung by her action in running away from Trenby Hall during his
absence that he would never wish to see her again--far less make her
his wife?

She had never contemplated the matter from that angle. But now, as
Ralph put it before her, she realised that the attitude he indicated
might reasonably be that of most men in similar circumstances.

Her heart beat deliriously at the very thought. If release came this
way--by Roger's own decision--she would be free to take it! The price
of the blunder she had made when she pledged herself to him--a price
which was so much heavier than she could possibly have imagined--would
be remitted.

And from the depths of her soul a fervent, disjointed prayer went up to
heaven:

"God, God, please don't let him forgive me--don't let him ever forgive
me!"

CHAPTER XXV

AN UNEXPECTED MEETING

Nan was rather silent as the Fentons' big car purred its way through
the crowded streets towards Westminster. For the moment the possible
consequences of her flight from Trenby Hall had been thrust aside into
a corner of her mind and her thoughts had slipped back to that last
meeting with Maryon, when she had shown him so unmistakably that she,
at least, had ceased to care.

She had hated him at the moment, rejoicing to be free from the strange,
perverse attraction he held for her. But, viewed through the softening
mists of memory, a certain romance and charm seemed to cling about
those days when she had hovered on the border-line of love for him, and
her heart beat a little faster at the thought of meeting him again.

Ralph Fenton had only a vague knowledge of the affair, but he dimly
recollected that there had been something--a passing flirtation, he
fancied--between Maryon and Nan in bygone days, and he proceeded to
chaff her gently on the subject as they drove to the studio.

"Poor old Rooke will get a shock, Nan, when we dump you on to him this
afternoon," he said. "He won't be anticipating the arrival of an old
flame."

She flushed a little, and Ralph continued teasingly:

"You'll really have to be rather nice to him! He's paid pretty dearly
for his foolishness in bartering love for filthy lucre."

Penelope frowned at her