"Not only at first, dear, but always," said Bowen gently as he rose and seated himself beside her. "Patricia, when did you--care?" he blurted out the last word hurriedly. "I don't know," she replied dreamily. "You see," she continued after a pause, "I've not been like other girls. Do you know, Peter," she looked up at him shyly, "you're the first man who has ever kissed me, except my father. Isn't it absurd?" "It's nothing of the sort," Bowen declared, tilting up her chin and gazing down into her eyes. "But you haven't answered my question." "Well!" continued Patricia, speaking slowly, "when you sent me flowers and messengers and telegraph-boys and things I was angry, and then when you didn't I----" she paused. "Wanted them," he suggested. "U-m-m-m!" she nodded her head. "I suppose so," she conceded. "But," she added with a sudden change of mood, "I shall always be dreadfully afraid of Peel. He seems so perfect." Bowen laughed. "I'll try and balance matters," he said. "But you haven't told me," said Patricia, "why you left me alone all at once. Why did you?" She looked up enquiringly at him. During the next half an hour Patricia slowly drew from Bowen the whole story of the plot engineered by Lady Tanagra. "But why," questioned Patricia, "were you going away if you knew that--that everything would come all right?" "I had given up hope, and I couldn't break my promise to Tan. I convinced myself that you didn't care." Patricia held out her hand with a smile. Bowen bent and kissed it. "I wonder what you are thinking of me?" She looked up at him anxiously. "I'm very much at your mercy now, Peter, aren't I? You won't let me ever regret it, will you?" "Do you regret it?" he whispered, bending towards her, conscious of the fragrance of her hair. "It's such an unconditional surrender," she complained. "All my pride is bruised and trampled underfoot. You have me at such a disadvantage." "So long as I've got you I don't care," he laughed. "Peter," said Patricia after a few minutes of silence, "I want you to ring up Tanagra and Godfrey Elton and ask them to dine here this evening. They must put off any other engagement. Tell them I say so." "But can't we----?" began Bowen. "There, you are making me regret already," she said with a flash of her old vivacity. Bowen flew to the telephone. By a lucky chance Elton was calling at Grosvenor Square, and Bowen was able to get them both with one call. He was a little disappointed, however, at not having Patricia to himself that evening. "When shall we get married?" Bowen asked eagerly, as Patricia rose and announced that she must go and repair damages to her face and garments. "I will tell you after dinner," she said as she walked towards the door. II "It is only the impecunious who are constrained to be modest," remarked Elton as the four sat smoking in Bowen's room after dinner. "Is that an apology, or merely a statement of fact?" asked Lady Tanagra.