Er—­I was wondering what she can have put in that little box.

SOPHY.

Yes, I wonder. [Pulling at the lid.] It’s locked.

QUEX.

I fancy it has one of those Bramah locks which snap.  I may have a key—­ [He produces his key-ring and, promptly selecting a key, unlocks the box.] Fortunate coincidence.

[She opens the box and takes out the first thing that presents itself—­the blue silk garter with the diamond buckle.

SOPHY.

[Scandalised.] Oh, my gracious!  I beg your pardon.

[She leaves him hurriedly and hides the box in the cabinet.

QUEX.

[Quietly to FRAYNE.] Chick, she has passed the souvenirs on to Miss Fullgarney!

FRAYNE.

[Bitterly.] How like a woman!

QUEX.

Some women.

FRAYNE.

[In disgust.] Pah!

QUEX.

Yesterday she was alluring.

FRAYNE.

[Waving the past from him.] Yesterday—­[with a slight hiccup] hic! [Turning away apologetically.] The heat in this room—­

[He walks away, as SOPHY returns to QUEX.

QUEX.

[To SOPHY.] Well, I must not detain you longer, Miss Fullgarney.  But there is, of course, one point upon which I should like to feel completely assured.  You have seen Miss Eden—?

SOPHY.

No; not since last evening.

QUEX.

[Anxiously.] When do you—?

SOPHY.

[Looking away.] I’m rather expecting her to pop in here during the day.

QUEX.

Quite so.  And—­and then—?

SOPHY.

[Facing him candidly.] Your lordship told me last night that your little visit to the Duchess was a perfectly innocent one?

QUEX.

Absolutely innocent. [Hesitatingly.] I fear I cannot go further than that.

FRAYNE.

[Fanning himself with his handkerchief.] By gad, why not, Harry?  We are in Miss Fullgarney’s hands. [To SOPHY.] His lordship went to her Grace’s apartment solely to return some gifts which he had accepted from her in the—­ah—­dim, distant past, and to say adieu.

SOPHY.

[Witheringly.] Ah, I knew she was a double-faced thing; [looking at QUEX relentingly] but p’r’aps one has been a little down on you.

QUEX.

[Meekly.] You have it in your power to atone for that amply.

SOPHY.

[Half-feelingly, half-sullenly.] At any rate, you behaved, in the end, like a gentleman to me last night.  And so—­when I see Miss Muriel—­

QUEX.

Yes?

SOPHY.

[Deliberately.] I am going to tell her a lie.

QUEX.

[With some emotion.] Miss Fullgarney, I—­I—­