“No, I didn’t mean with the children—exactly. Just you and I alone. Dine somewhere—have an evening together.” It was no use to pretend that he was not surprised. She saw his astonishment. “Why, of course—if you’d really care about it. Mostly pantomimes just now—but I daresay we could find something. Good idea. Good idea.” “Now that—now that—the children are beginning to marry and go off by themselves. Why, I thought ... you understand....” “Of course. Of course,” he said again. “Any night you like. You remind me....” He whistled a gay little tune, and turned over the pages of the Hazlitt, reading sentences here and there. “Tea in a minute?...” he said gaily. “Just got a line or two more to finish. Then I’ll be with you.” She looked at him as though she would say something more: she decided, however, that she would not, and trailed away. * * * * * Returning to the drawing-room, she found Katherine standing there. Katherine’s cheeks were flushed and her eyes sparkled: she was wearing a little black hat with red berries, and the black velvet ribbon round her neck had a diamond brooch in it that Philip had given her. Rocket was bending over the fire: she was laughing at him. When she saw her mother she waved her hand. “Mother, darling—what kind of an afternoon have you had? I’ve had the loveliest time. I lunched at Rachel’s, and there, to my immense surprise, was Philip. I hadn’t the _least_ idea he was coming. Not the slightest. We weren’t to have met to-day at all. Just Lord John, Philip, Rachel and I. Then we had _such_ a walk. Philip and I. Hyde Park Corner, right through the Park, Marble Arch, then through Regent’s Park all the way up Primrose Hill—took a ’bus home again. _Never_ enjoyed anything so much. You’ve all been out too, because here’s the fire dead. I’ve been telling Rocket what I think of him. Haven’t I, Rocket?... Where are the others? Millie, Aunt Aggie. It’s tea-time.” “Yes, dear, it is,” said Mrs. Trenchard. It was incredible, Katherine was utterly unconscious. She remembered nothing. Mrs. Trenchard looked at Rocket. “That’ll do, Rocket. That’s enough. We’ll have tea at once.” Rocket went out. She turned to her daughter. “I’m glad you’ve enjoyed your afternoon, dear. I couldn’t think what had happened to you. I waited until half-past three.” “Waited?” “Yes—to go to the Stores. You said at breakfast that you’d come with me—that you’d be back by three. I waited until half-past.... It was quite all right, dear. Millie went with me. She had seen you—you and Philip at Hyde Park Corner—so, of course, I didn’t wait any longer.” Katherine stared at her mother: the colour slowly left her face and her hand went up to her cheeks with a gesture of dismay. “Mother!... How _could_ I!”