But when his hold relaxed at last, she hid her face panting against his breast.  He smoothed the dark hair with a possessive touch, laughing softly at her agitation.

“Did you think you could get away from me, you brown elf?” he whispered.

“I—­I could if I tried,” she whispered back.

His hold tightened again.  “Try!” he said.

She shook her head without lifting it.  “No,” she murmured, with a shy laugh.  “I don’t want to.  Shan’t we go back—­and dance—­before—­before—­” She broke off in confusion.

“Before what?” he said.

She made a motion to turn her face upwards, but, finding his still close, buried it a little deeper.  “I—­promised the Colonel—­I’d be good,” she faltered into his shoulder.  “I think I ought to begin—­soon; don’t you?”

“Is that why I am to have only this one dance?” he asked.

“Yes,” she admitted.

His caressing hand found and lightly pressed her cheek.  “What are you going to do when it’s over?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” she said.  “There’s Billy.  I may dance with him.”

He laughed.  “That’s an exciting programme.  Shall I tell you what I should do—­if I were in your place?”

“What?” said Dinah.

Again she raised her face a few inches and again, catching a glimpse of the compelling blue eyes, plunged it deeply into his coat.

He laughed again softly, with a hint of mockery.  “I should have one dance with Billy, and one with the omnipotent Colonel.  And then I should be tired and say good night.”

“But I shan’t be a bit tired,” protested Dinah, faintly indignant.

“Of course not,” laughed Sir Eustace.  “You will be just ripe for a little fun.  There’s quite a cosy sitting-out place at the end of our corridor.  I should go to bed via that route.”

“Oh!” said Dinah, with a gasp.

She lifted her head in astonishment, and met the eyes that so thrilled her.  “But—­but that would be wrong!” she said.

“I’ve done naughtier things than that, my virtuous sprite,” he said.

But Dinah did not laugh.  Very suddenly quite unbidden there flashed across her the memory of Scott’s look the night before and her own overwhelming confusion beneath it.  What would her friend Mr. Greatheart say to such a proposal?  What would he say could he see her now?  The hot blood rushed to her face at the bare thought.  She drew herself away from him.  Her rapture was gone; she was burningly ashamed.  The Colonel’s majestic displeasure was as nothing in comparison with Scott’s wordless disapproval.

“Oh, I couldn’t do that,” she said.  “I—­couldn’t.  I ought not to be here with you now.”

“My fault,” he said easily.  “I brought you here before you knew where you were.  If you go to confession, you can mention that as an extenuating circumstance.”

“Oh, don’t!” said Dinah, inexplicably stung by his manner.  “It—­it isn’t nice of you to talk like that.”