He was pitifully caught, and had not the adroitness to hide his sense of it. Perhaps he had been cruelly used. When he had written to Trix, saying he meant to come again and asking for a date, it was hardly fair of Peggy, performing the office of amanuensis for Trix, to say that Mrs. Trevalla saw few visitors, but that this particular day (on which Peggy was to visit Fricker) would be the best chance of seeing her. Such language might be non-committal; it was undoubtedly misleading. He had found in it a sign that Trix was yielding, coming to a sensible frame of mind, recognising what seemed to him so obvious--the power he had over her and her attraction towards him. In his heart he believed that he held both these women, Trix and Connie, in his hand, and could do as he liked with them; thus he would cajole and conciliate Connie (he thought kisses would not lose their efficacy, nor that despotic air either) while he made Trix his own--for towards her lay his stronger inclination. To secure her would be his victory over all the sneerers, over Mervyn, and--the greatest came last--over herself. But, however clever we are, there is a point at which things may fall out too perversely. If Connie came by chance, this acme of bad luck was reached; if by design, then he had miscalculated somewhere. 'You're not greeting me very enthusiastically,' remarked Connie. 'You don't sit stock-still and say you won't stay long when I come to you in the drawing-room at home!' 'Nonsense! That girl may be in here any minute.' 'Well, and mamma might come in any minute at home--which would be much worse. After all, what would she matter? You're not ashamed of me, I suppose?' Assumption is a valuable device in argument; Connie was using it skilfully. She assumed that she was first in his thoughts, and did not charge him with preferring another; let him explain that--if he dared. 'Nonsense!' he repeated fretfully. 'But I can't play the fool now. I've come to see Mrs. Trevalla on business. 'Isn't there another room?' 'No; and I thought papa did all the business there was with Mrs. Trevalla.' He had sat down near the table; she came and perched herself on it. Intimidation must probably be the main weapon, but she was alive to the importance of reinforcing it. 'He thinks he does,' she went on significantly. 'Oh, it's a small matter. It won't do him any harm. And I'm a free agent, I suppose?' 'You're free enough anyhow, pretty often,' Connie admitted. 'You've never objected,' he snarled, his temper getting out of hand. 'Well, no. I knew I had to do with a gentleman.' Kisses might be out of place, even dangerous in view of a possible interruption; but there was the despotic air. Now seemed the minute for it. 'Don't you talk nonsense, child,' he said. 'If I've treated you kindly, it doesn't entitle you to take that tone. And get off that table.' 'I'm very comfortable here,' remarked Connie. 'It doesn't look respectable.'