“And now it’s another boy! And only twenty-eight or so. He can’t be more than twenty-seven or twenty-eight. Poor old Adela!” “Perhaps he likes white hair. There are boys who do.” “But not for long. Beryl was furious.” “It is hardly a compliment to her. I expect her cult for Adela will diminish rapidly.” “Oh, she’ll very soon get him away. Even Zotos won’t be able to do very much for Adela now. She burnt all her boats ten years ago. Her case is really hopeless, and she’ll very soon find that out.” “Do you remember when she tried to live up to Rupert Louth as an Amazon?” “Yes. She nearly killed herself over it; but I must say she stuck to it splendidly. She has plenty of courage.” “Is Alick Craven athletic? I scarcely know him.” “Well, he’s never been a rough rider like Rupert Louth; but I believe he’s a sportsman, does all the usual things.” “Then I dare say we shall soon see Adela on the links and at Kings’.” “Probably. I’ll get them both down to Coombe and see if she’ll play tennis on my hard court. I shouldn’t wonder. She has pluck enough for anything.” “Ask me that Sunday. I wonder how long it will last.” “Not long. It can’t.” “And then she’ll go crash again. It must be awful to have a temperament like hers.” “Her great mistake is that apparently she puts some heart into it every time. I can’t think how she manages it, but she does. Do you remember twelve years ago, when she was crazy about Harry Blake? Well--” But at this moment the motor drew up at the Carlton, and a huge man in uniform opened the door. Mrs. Ackroyde was right in her comment on Miss Van Tuyn. In spite of Craven’s acting that night Miss Van Tuyn had thoroughly understood how things really were. She had persuaded Braybrooke to invite Lady Sellingworth to make a fourth in order that she might find out whether any link had been forged between Craven and Lady Sellingworth, whether there was really any secret understanding between them, or whether that tete-a-tete dinner in Soho had been merely a passing pleasure, managed by Lady Sellingworth, meaning little, and likely to lead to nothing. And she had found out that there certainly was a secret understanding between Lady Sellingworth and Craven from which she was excluded. Craven had preferred Adela Sellingworth to herself, and Adela Sellingworth was fully aware of it. It was characteristic of Miss Van Tuyn that though her vanity was so great and was now severely wounded she did not debate the matter within herself, did not for a moment attempt to deceive herself about it. And yet really she had very little ground to go upon. Craven had been charming to her, had replied to her glances, had almost made love to her at dinner, had sat very close to her during the last act of the play. Yes; but it had all been acting on his part. Quite coolly she told herself that. And Lady Sellingworth had certainly wished him to act, had even prompted him to it.