He hesitated.  “Simpler than to look depressed when you refuse me?”

“No one really likes to be refused,” she said.  “Even I, hardened as I am, felt a certain distaste for the idea that Laura had been urging me on your reluctant acceptance.  By the way, you did seem able to say no, after all your talk on our unfortunate drive about no man’s being able to refuse a woman.”

“Oh, a third party,” he answered.  “That’s a very different thing.  Had it been you yourself, with streaming eyes—­” He looked at her sitting very cool and straight at a safe distance.

“I don’t think I could cry to save my life,” she observed.  “Certainly not to save my reputation.”

He did not answer.  The situation had begun to seem like a game to him, or some absurd farce in which he was only reading some regular actor’s part; and when presently the door opened to admit Mrs. Almar, he felt as if she had been waiting all the time in the wings.

Nancy stopped with a gesture of surprise, on finding that she was interrupting a tete-a-tete.  Christine ignored her astonishment.

“Nancy dear,” she said.  “How nice of you to come, when I know how busy you were teaching Wickham piquet.  Sit down.  This is the reason I sent for you.  As one of my best friends, I want your candid advice about this horrid situation.”

“But Laura is one of your best friends, too,” said Mrs. Almar.

“You’ll see why I did not send for Laura.  She is so ridiculously prejudiced in favor of Mr. Riatt.  There’s no question as to what her advice would be.  In fact,” said Christine with the frankest laugh, “she’s advised it long ago—­even before he asked me.”

At these sinister words, Mrs. Almar gave a glance like the jab of a knife at Riatt.

“See here, Christine,” she said, “every minute I spend here is a direct pecuniary loss to me.  Let’s get to the point.”

“Of course.  How selfish I am,” answered Miss Fenimer.  “The point is this.  In view of the gossip and talk, and your own dear little suggestion, darling, that I had frightened the horse on purpose, Mr. Riatt has thought it necessary to ask me to marry him.  I say he has thought it necessary, because in spite of all his flattering protestations, I can’t help feeling that he’s done it from a sense of duty.  But whatever his sentiments may be, I’ve been quite open about mine.  I’m not in love with him.  In view of all this, Nancy, do you think it advisable that I accept his offer?”

Mrs. Almar had never been considered particularly good-tempered.  Now she jumped to her feet with her eyes positively blazing.  “Have I been called away from the care of my depleted bank account to take part in a farce like this?” she cried.  “You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Christine.  You know just as well as I do that that young man never even thought of asking you to marry him.”

Christine was quite unruffled.  “Oh, Nancy dear,” she said, “how helpful you always are.  I see what you mean.  You think no one will believe that he ever did propose unless I accept him.  I think you’re perfectly right.”