The Essential W. Somerset Maugham Collection. W. Somerset Maugham

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      'Because I know that you were very much in love with him,' he answered.

      Lucy flushed. But she had much more to say.

      'I was very unjust to you on the night of that dance. You were right to speak to me as you did, and I was very foolish. I regret what I said, and I beg you to forgive me.'

      'There's nothing to forgive, Lucy,' he said warmly. 'What does it matter what you said? You know I love you.'

      'I don't know what I've done to deserve such love,' she said. 'You make me dreadfully ashamed of myself.'

      He took her hand, and she did not attempt to withdraw it.

      'Won't you change your mind, Lucy?' he said earnestly.

      'Oh, my dear, I don't love you. I wish I did. But I don't and I'm afraid I never can.'

      'Won't you marry me all the same?'

      'Do you care for me so much as that?' she cried painfully.

      'Perhaps you will learn to love me in time.'

      'Don't be so humble; you make me still more ashamed. Bobbie, I should like to make you happy if I thought I could. It seems very wonderful to me that you should want to have me. But I must be honest with you. I know that if I pretend I'm willing to marry you merely for your sake I'm deceiving myself. I want to marry you because I'm afraid. I want to crush my love for Alec. I want to make it impossible for me ever to weaken in my resolve. You see, I'm horrid and calculating, and it's very little I can offer you.'

      'I don't care why you're marrying me,' he said. 'I want you so badly.'

      'Oh, no, don't take me like that. Let me say first that if you really think me worth having, I will do my duty gladly. And if I have no love to give, I have a great deal of affection and a great deal of gratitude. I want you to be happy.'

      He went down on his knees and kissed her hands passionately.

      'I'm so thankful,' he murmured. 'I'm so thankful.'

      Lucy bent down and gently kissed his hair. Two tears rolled heavily down her cheeks.

      * * *

      Five minutes later Lady Kelsey came in. She was delighted to see that her nephew and her niece were apparently once more on friendly terms; but she had no time to find out what had happened, for Canon Spratte was immediately announced. Lady Kelsey had heard that he was to be offered a vacant bishopric, and she mourned over his disappearance from London. He was a spiritual mentor who exactly suited her, handsome, urbane, attentive notwithstanding her mature age, and well-connected. He was just the man to be a bishop. Then Mrs. Crowley appeared. They waited a little, and presently Dick was announced. He sauntered in jauntily, unaware that he had kept the others waiting a full quarter of an hour; and the party was complete.

      No gathering could be tedious when Canon Spratte was present, and the conversation proceeded merrily. Mrs. Crowley looked ravishing in a summer frock, and since she addressed herself exclusively to the handsome parson it was no wonder that he was in a good humour. She laughed appreciatively at his facile jests and gave him provoking glances of her bright eyes. He did not attempt to conceal from her that he thought American women the most delightful creatures in the world, and she made no secret of her opinion that ecclesiastical dignitaries were often fascinating. They paid one another outrageous compliments. It never struck the good man that these charms and graces were displayed only for the purpose of vexing a gentleman of forty, who was eating his luncheon irritably on the other side of her. She managed to avoid talking to Dick Lomas afterwards, but when she bade Lady Kelsey farewell, he rose also.

      'Shall I drive you home?' he asked.

      'I'm not going home, but if you like to drive me to Victoria Street, you may. I have an appointment there at four.'

      They went out, stepped into a cab, and quite coolly Dick told the driver to go to Hammersmith. He sat himself down by her side, with a smile of self-satisfaction.

      'What on earth are you doing?' she cried.

      'I want to have a talk to you.'

      'I'm sure that's charming of you,' she answered, 'but I shall miss my appointment.'

      'That's a matter of complete indifference to me.'

      'Don't bother about my feelings, will you?' she replied, satirically.

      'I have no intention of doing so,' he smiled.

      Mrs. Crowley was obliged to laugh at the neatness with which he had entrapped her. Or had he fallen into the trap which she had set for him? She really did not quite know.

      'If your object in thus abducting me was to talk, hadn't you better do so?' she asked. 'I hope you will endeavour to be not only amusing but instructive.'

      'I wanted to point out to you that it is not civil pointedly to ignore a man who is sitting next to you at luncheon.'

      'Did I do that? I'm so sorry. But I know you're greedy, and I thought you'd be absorbed in the lobster mayonnaise.'

      'I'm beginning to think I dislike you rather than otherwise,' he murmured reflectively.

      'Ah, I suppose that is why you haven't been in to see me for so long.'

      'May I venture to remind you that I've called upon you three times during the last week.'

      'I've been out so much lately,' she answered, with a little wave of her hand.

      'Nonsense. Once I heard you playing scales in the drawing-room, and once I positively saw you peeping at me through the curtains.'

      'Why didn't you make a face at me?' she asked.

      'You're not going to trouble to deny it?'

      'It's perfectly true.'

      Dick could not help giving a little laugh. He didn't quite know whether he wanted to kiss Julia Crowley or to shake her.

      'And may I ask why you've treated me in this abominable fashion?' he asked blandly.

      She looked at him sideways from beneath her long eyelashes. Dick was a man who appreciated the artifices of civilisation in the fair sex, and he was pleased with her pretty hat and with the flounces of her muslin frock.

      'Because I chose,' she smiled.

      He shrugged his shoulders and put on an air of resignation.

      'Of course if you're going to make yourself systematically disagreeable unless I marry you, I suppose I must bow to the inevitable.'

      'I don't know if you have the least idea what you're talking about,' she answered, raising her eyebrows. 'I'm sure I haven't.'

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