And Geoffrey Croyden would have eventually succumbed, of his own desires, however, had Elaine Cavendish been less wealthy, and had his affairs been more at ease. Now, he thanked high Heaven he had not offered himself. She might have accepted him; and think of all the heart-burnings and pain that would now ensue, before he went out of her life! "What were you men doing to Montecute Mattison?" she asked presently. "He appeared perfectly furious when he came out, and he went off without a word to anyone--even Charlotte Brundage was ignored." "He and Colloden had a little difficulty--and Mattison left us," Croyden answered. "Didn't he stop to say good-night?" She shook her head. "He called something as he drove off--but I think he was swearing at his man." "He needed something to swear at, I fancy!" Croyden laughed. "What did Roderick do?" she asked. "Took him by the collar and shook him--and told him either to go home or be quiet." "And he went home--I see." "Yes--when he had recovered himself sufficiently. I thought, at first, his anger was going to choke him." "Imagine big, good-natured Roderick stirred sufficiently to lay hands on any one!" she laughed. "But imagine him _when_ stirred," he said. "I hadn't thought of him in that way," she said, slowly--"Ough!" with a little shiver, "it must have been terrifying--what had Mattison done to him?" "Nothing--Mattison is too much of a coward ever to _do_ anything." "What had he said, then?" "Oh, some brutality about one of Colloden's friends, I think," Croyden evaded. "I didn't quite hear it--and we didn't discuss it afterward." "I'm told he is a scurrilous little beast, with the men," she commented; "but, I must say, he is always polite to me, and reasonably charitable. Indeed, to-night is the only deliberately bad manners he has ever exhibited." "He knows the men won't hurt him," said Croyden, "whereas the women, if he showed his ill nature to them, would promptly ostracize him. He is a canny bounder, all right." He made a gesture of repugnance. "We have had enough of Mattison--let us find something more interesting--yourself, for instance." "Or yourself!" she smiled. "Or, better still, neither. Which reminds me--Miss Southard is coming to-morrow; you will be over, of course?" "I'm going East to-morrow night," he said. "I'm sorry." "But she is to stay two weeks--you will be back before she leaves, won't you?" "I fear not--I may go on to London." "Before you return here?" "Yes--before I return here." "Isn't this London idea rather sudden?" she asked. "I've been anticipating it for some time," sending a cloud of cigarette smoke before his face. "But it grew imminent only to-day."