She forced herself to speak in the same level tones that he adopted. "Doesn't it occur to you," she asked, "that it's not very pleasant for me, just now, to be always left alone? I can't go out like that, with everybody saying that we've quarrelled." "Are you blaming me, now?" he asked in icy surprise. She refused to argue this; she felt that it was mean. "What am I to do," she said, "all these lonely afternoons?" "I should send for your good friend Alison," he answered with a grim humour, and went out to his own room. Helena sighed, a sigh of despair; then she got up with more energy than during all these days, buoyed by a resolve. Anything was better than inaction. Even a row would not be so awful as this freezing calmness! She would do something--must! She took his advice. She went to the telephone and left a message with the Studio porter. She asked Mr. Alison to tea. Then she went back to the drawing-room, and as she tidied the neglected flowers there was on her tight-pressed lips the whole eternal mystery of the sphinx-woman. He arrived punctually to the moment--one second after the tea-urn--secretly nervous but outwardly full of a relieved delight. "I am forgiven then?" he cried, and she felt cheered already. It was something to talk. Besides, he really _did_ look funny.... He laid on the table some roses he had bought and now had not the courage to present. "I'm afraid I was a pig," she answered, nobly. One feud was quite enough for her. "I know you never meant to do it and you were awfully good about it all till then. You helped me such a lot." "And I hope to do the same again," he said with an absurd little bow. "Not give me away again?" she asked, mainly as a good excuse for smiling. But really she felt happier already. Tea smelt almost good again! He looked at her with the reproachful eyes of a whipped hound. "You know I shouldn't, you know I never meant to. And I'm afraid you'll never trust me any more." He sighed cavernally. "That's just what I'm going to do," she said, and then she could not refrain from laughing, for he looked so alarmed at new responsibility. "Oh, nothing like the other," she went on gaily, "this is a most harmless secret." "What is it?" he answered keenly. "Tell me?" He hoped that Brett was teaing out somewhere. "Well," said Helena, giving him his tea, "you know you said I ought to follow up the other with a second book and I said no? Well, now I think I will." She felt heroic and excited, merely saying it. It was her new resolve. "Hooray!" cried Geoffrey Alison, catching some of the great moment's fire. "Blatchley _will_ be bucked. He was immensely keen." "Bother Blatchley," answered Helena. "I think he has behaved disgracefully and it is all his fault. But I can't stand this any longer; Hugh won't even speak to me; besides, if I write other books about quite different husbands, nobody can say they are all us."