The servant came in, bringing the lamp, replenished the fire and drew the curtains, shutting out the light of day.

“Any one to tea, ma’am?” he inquired, respectfully.

“One gentleman—­no one else.  Bring up tea when he comes.”

“Very well, ma’am;” and the servant withdrew.  Mrs. Romer paced impatiently up and down the room, stopping again and again before the clock.

“Late again!  A whole half-hour behind his time!  It is insufferable that he should treat me like this.  He would go quickly enough to see some new face—­some fresh fancy that had attracted him.”

She took out her watch and laid it on the table.  “Let me see if he will come before the minute-hand touches the quarter; he must be here by then!”

She continued to pace steadily up and down the room.  The clock ticked on, the minute-hand of the watch crept ever stealthily forward over the golden dial; now and then a passing vehicle without made her heart beat with sudden hope, and then sink down again with disappointment, as the sound of the wheels went by and died away in the distance.

Suddenly she sank into an arm-chair, covering her face with her hands.

“Oh, what a fool—­what a fool I am!” she exclaimed aloud.  “Why have I not strength of mind to go out before he comes, to show him that I don’t care?  Why, at least, can I not call up grandpapa, and pretend I had forgotten he was coming?  That would be the best way to treat him; the way to show him that I am not the miserable slave he thinks me.  Why can I, who know so well how to manage all other men, never manage the one man whose love I want?  That horrid old man was right—­he does not want me—­he never did.  Oh, if I only could be proud, and pretend I do not care!  But I can’t, I can’t—­there is always this miserable sickening pain at my heart for him, and he knows it.  I have let him know it!”

A ring at the bell made her spring to her feet, whilst a glad flush suddenly covered her face.

In another minute the man she loved was in the room.

“Nearly three-quarters of an hour late!” she cried, angrily, as he entered.  “How shamefully you treat me!”

He stood in front of the fire, pulling off his dogskin gloves:  a broad-shouldered, handsome fellow, with an aquiline nose and a close-cropped head.

“Am I late?” he said, indifferently.  “I really did not know it.  I have had fifty places to go to in as many minutes.”

“Of course I shall forgive you if you have been so busy,” she said, softening at once.  “Maurice, darling, are you not going to kiss me?” She stood up by his side upon the hearthrug, looking at him with all her heart in her eyes, whilst his were on the fire.  She wound her arms round his neck, and drew his head down.  He leant his cheek carelessly towards her lips, and she kissed him passionately; and he—­he was thinking of something else.

“Poor little woman,” he said, almost with an effort recalling himself to the present; he patted her cheek lightly and turned round to toss his gloves into his hat on the table behind him.  “How cold it has turned—­aren’t you going to give me some tea?” And then he sat down on the further side of the fire and stretched himself back in his arm-chair, throwing his arms up behind his head.