Christine laughed.  “And did you look like that while Laura was detailing my perfections?  A judge about to pronounce the death sentence is gay in comparison.  Cheer up.  I haven’t had a pleasant fifteen minutes myself.  I never thought myself kind-hearted, but I assure you I really longed to tell Ned the truth.  He is the nicest person.”

“I believe he will make you an excellent husband.”

“Oh, dear, I’m afraid he will.”  She sighed.  “Safety first will be a dull motto to go through life with.  Do you want to know what I told him?  No?  Well, I’m going to tell you anyhow.  I said that you had made me this magnificent offer, prompted, I felt sure, by the purest chivalry; and that I felt I owed it to my family, my friends and my reputation to accept it, but that you had left my heart untouched, and that if he and you were both penniless, I should prefer him to you.  That wasn’t all perfectly true.”

Suddenly Riatt found himself smiling.  “My innocent child,” he said, “let me make one thing clear to you.  Any effort on your part to create an impression that you have fallen in love with me will not be crowned with success.”

Christine was quite unabashed by his directness.

“I’m not a bit in love with you,” she said—­“not any more than you are with me, only I realize that there is a possibility for either of us, and of the two,” she added maliciously, “I really think I’m the more hard-hearted.”

“Perhaps you will think I am running away from danger,” he answered, “when I tell you that as soon as I have seen your father, got your ring, and fulfilled the immediate necessities of the occasion, I shall go home.”

“Oh, you can’t do that!” cried Christine, in genuine alarm.

“You surely don’t expect me to neglect my legitimate business on account of this ridiculous farce.”

For the first time a certain amount of real hostility crept in their relation.  They looked at each other steadily.  Then Christine said politely:  “Well, we’ll see how things go.”  He knew, however, that she was as determined that he should stay as he was to leave, and the knowledge made him all the firmer.

The evening was a stupid one, devoted largely to toasts, jokes, congratulations and a few stabs from Nancy.  Through it all poor Hickson’s gloom was obvious.

The next day the party broke up.  Wickham and Hickson taking an early express; the others, even Nancy who abandoned her motor on account of the snow, going in by a noonday train.  Already, it seemed to Riatt that the bonds of matrimony were closing about him as he found himself delegated to look up Christine’s trunks, maid and dressing-case.

Soon after the arrival of the train he had an appointment, made by telephone, with Mr. Fenimer.  The interview was to take place at Mr. Fenimer’s club, a most discreet and elegant organization of fashionable virility.  Riatt was not kept waiting.  Fenimer came promptly to meet him.