“Your bluff,” she said, “is vigorous, if not in the best of taste. I think it’s time I called it. I’m not going out, Ivan.” “Aren’t you?” said Pomeroy. “I am. Not yet, but after lunch. The air’s lovely.” “I mean,” said Belinda coolly, “that I’m not going to vacate this villa.” “Good,” said Ivan cheerfully. “Neither am I.” Miss Seneschal stared. Then she slid down from the table and stepped to his side. “But if I stay here, you can’t.” “Can’t I?” said Ivan. “Well, I’m going to have a blinkin’ good try.” “Are you serious?” demanded Miss Seneschal. “My dear girl,” said Pomeroy, “at considerable inconvenience and expense I’ve brought about two tons of luggage, four servants and a car some seven hundred miles. Would you do that by way of being comic?” “I can’t help that,” said Belinda. “You should have inquired before you started.” Pomeroy leaned back and covered his face. “Oh, give me strength,” he murmured. Then: “D’you mind indicating the nature of the inquiry I should have made?” “Whether I was here, of course.” “I see,” said Pomeroy uncertainly. “In view of our correspondence, I disagree. The fifteenth was your suggestion, which I was mug enough to accept. But let that go. What difference d’you think such an inquiry would have made? It would certainly have satisfied curiosity, but I don’t happen to be curious.” “I like to think,” said Belinda, “that you would have postponed your visit.” Pomeroy sighed. “Of course,” he said, “the trouble is that I’m just an ordinary ass. If I was a half-baked worm with a game spine we should have our arms round one another’s necks.” “And if,” said Belinda sweetly, “you were a gentleman, you’d get up and beg my pardon and walk right out of this house.” “What, an’ leave my luggage?” said Pomeroy. Belinda shrugged her shoulders. “That,” she said, “could be thrown after you.” Pomeroy closed his eyes. “I should simply hate,” he murmured, “to be a gentleman.” With a look of unutterable contempt, Miss Seneschal re-ascended the table and folded her arms. “The villa belongs,” she announced, “to the one who’s in possession.” “That’s not the law,” said Ivan, “but never mind. I’m in possession, too.” “You forced your way in.” “I did nothing of the sort. The door was opened by your butler, thereby occasioning a void through which I passed.” “Against my will,” said Belinda. “I shall cable to Forsyth.” “Do,” said Ivan. “Mind you give him my love.” Belinda set her teeth. “If he says I’m to go, I’ll go. Till then——” “But he won’t,” said Pomeroy. “You’ve every right to be here—and so have I.” “But we can’t both stay in this house.” “That,” said Ivan, “is a matter of opinion. To the best of my recollection there are seven principal bedrooms and six bathrooms. I don’t know how many you take, but I can struggle through on a couple of each.” Belinda consulted her wrist-watch. “Unless,” she said, “you withdraw in two minutes, I shall ring for Henri to take your luggage outside.”