'She says I'm no gentleman. She said I had no business to lead the poor girl on, in a manner of speaking, and walk out with her, and pay her marked attention, and then not propose marriage like a gentleman.' 'Then you're rather unhappy just now, Vincy?' 'Well, I spoke to _her_ frankly, and said I would like to go on being her friend, but I didn't mean to marry. And _she_ said she'd never see me again unless I did.' 'And what else?' 'That's about all, thanks very much,' said Vincy. Here Bruce came in. 'Edith,' he said,' have you asked Aylmer to come and stay with us at Westgate?' 'Oh no. I think I'd rather not.' 'Why on earth not? How absurd of you. It's a bit selfish, dear, if you'll excuse my saying so. It's all very well for you: you've got the children and Vincy to amuse you (you're coming, aren't you, Vincy?). What price me? I must have someone else who can go for walks and play golf, a real pal, and so forth. I need exercise, and intellectual sympathy. Aylmer didn't say he had anywhere else to go.' 'He's going to take his boy, Freddie, away to some seaside place. He doesn't like staying with people.' 'All right, then. I shall go and ask him to come and stay at the hotel, for at least a fortnight. I shall go and ask him now. You're inconsistent, Edith. At one moment you seem to like the man, but as soon as I want to make a pleasant arrangement you're off it. So like a woman, isn't it, Vincy?' He laughed. 'Isn't it?' answered Vincy. 'Well, look here, I'm going right down to Jermyn Street purposely to tell him. I'll be back to dinner; do stop, Vincy.' Bruce was even more anxious than he used to be always to have a third person present whenever possible. He walked through the hot July streets with that feeling of flatness --of the want of a mild excitement apart from his own home. He saw Aylmer and persuaded him to come. While he was there a rather pretty pale girl, with rough red hair, was announced. Aylmer introduced Miss Argles. 'I only came for a minute, to bring back those books, Mr Ross,' she said shyly. 'I can't stop.' 'Oh, thank you so much,' said Aylmer. 'Won't you have tea?' 'No, nothing. I _must_ go at _once_. I only brought you in the books myself to show you they were safe.' She gave a slightly coquettish glance at Aylmer, a half-observant glance at Bruce, sighed heavily and went away. She was dressed in green serge, with a turned-down collar of black lace. She wore black suède gloves, a gold bangle and a smart and pretty hat, the hat Vincy pretended had been given to _him_ by Cissie Cavanack, his entirely imaginary cousin, and which he'd really bought for her in Bond Street. 'Well, I'll be off then. I'll tell Edith you'll write for rooms. Look sharp about it, because they soon go at the best hotels.' 'At any rate I'll bring Freddie down for a week,' said Aylmer, 'and then we'll see.' 'Who is that girl?' asked Bruce, as he left.