“Isn’t it a gorgeous night!  I’ve had Daddy here.  I gave him some of your champagne, and drank the rest—­” then was conscious of a figure far too tall for Leila, and a man’s voice saying: 

“I’m awfully sorry.  It’s only I, Jimmy Fort.”

Noel scrambled up.  “Leila isn’t in; but she will be directly—­it’s past ten.”

He was standing stock-still in the middle of the room.

“Won’t you sit down?  Oh! and won’t you have a cigarette?”

“Thanks.”

By the flash of his briquette she saw his face clearly; the look on it filled her with a sort of malicious glee.

“I’m going now,” she said.  “Would you mind telling Leila that I found I couldn’t stop?” She made towards the divan to get her hat.  When she had put it on, she found him standing just in front of her.

“Noel-if you don’t mind me calling you that?”

“Not a bit.”

“Don’t go; I’m going myself.”

“Oh, no!  Not for worlds.”  She tried to slip past, but he took hold of her wrist.

“Please; just one minute!”

Noel stayed motionless, looking at him, while his hand still held her wrist.  He said quietly: 

“Do you mind telling me why you came here?”

“Oh, just to see Leila.”

“Things have come to a head at home, haven’t they?”

Noel shrugged her shoulders.

“You came for refuge, didn’t you?”

“From whom?”

“Don’t be angry; from the need of hurting your father.”

She nodded.

“I knew it would come to that.  What are you going to do?”

“Enjoy myself.”  She was saying something fatuous, yet she meant it.

“That’s absurd.  Don’t be angry!  You’re quite right.  Only, you must begin at the right end, mustn’t you?  Sit down!”

Noel tried to free her wrist.

“No; sit down, please.”

Noel sat down; but as he loosed her wrist, she laughed.  This was where he sat with Leila, where they would sit when she was gone.  “It’s awfully funny, isn’t it?” she said.

“Funny?” he muttered savagely.  “Most things are, in this funny world.”

The sound of a taxi stopping not far off had come to her ears, and she gathered her feet under her, planting them firmly.  If she sprang up, could she slip by him before he caught her arm again, and get that taxi?

“If I go now,” he said, “will you promise me to stop till you’ve seen Leila?”

“No.”

“That’s foolish.  Come, promise!”

Noel shook her head.  She felt a perverse pleasure at his embarrassment.

“Leila’s lucky, isn’t she?  No children, no husband, no father, no anything.  Lovely!”

She saw his arm go up as if to ward off a blow.  “Poor Leila!” he said.

“Why are you sorry for her?  She has freedom!  And she has you!”

She knew it would hurt; but she wanted to hurt him.