She took the note. Vaughan sat down on a sofa to wait for the answer, glanced at the clock, and said, "Confound Muir! He's made me waste another morning." When the answer came, Gillie went out and strolled towards Mount Street. He found Valentia at home, evidently flattered and fluttered at seeing him. "How sweet of you to come!" she said. "You'll stay to lunch, of course?" "I'm afraid I can't." "Oh! lunching with a leading lady, I suppose?" "No." "With whom?" "With Romeike and Curtice." "Not really? What fun! What are they like?" "Oh, Romeike is all right. I don't care so much about Curtice." She gave him a cigarette. "I never in my life," said Vaughan, "before to-day, attempted to interfere in anybody else's affairs." She stared at him. "But in this case it--may I really smoke?--does seem such a pity! Of course you know what I mean, don't you?" "Do I?" "You see, I feel so certain that if you were, let's say--married to _Harry_ and met Romer after, you'd be so wildly in love with Romer." "So I was," she said in a low voice. "Tremendously! I thought he was a strong silent man with a great deal in him.... Oh! I've told you." "Yes, but so he is. It's commonplace of you, really, Val, not to see it." "I'm awfully sorry.... I do love Romer, and I think I appreciate him. But somehow it's a little dull. It's not exciting as I thought it would be." "Well! if you _must_ have fun, and amusement, and make a hero of somebody, why just Harry? Why not a superior man? Me, for instance?" He was laughing. "I've been told that an adoration for you would be hopeless, utterly hopeless." She smiled. "And we're friends. I can't imagine----" "Nor I. Of course I know it's utterly absurd to come and give people advice on these subjects, and one can't dispute about tastes and all that. But my practical mind revolts to see any one so delightful as you throwing away the substance for the shadow. You see, I'm a mass of platitudes." "Shadows are very attractive sometimes." "But they go away too. And then where are you?" She was silent. "They do, really. I know what I'm talking about." He stood up. "Think over what I've said." "You're kind, but you're rather depressing, Gillie," said Val. She looked a little frightened, but very pretty. "When do you go back to the country?" "Oh, to-day. We're there now. We only came up for the dance. We're motoring down to the Green Gate.... All of us." "Oh yes.... I'm afraid you must think me very impertinent." "Indeed I don't." "And when I've gone you will give orders that you're never at home to me again. But, somehow, I couldn't help it. If it makes you hate me to remember what I've said, forget it." She laughed as he rose to go. "That's all right, Gillie; but what I want to know is, where you're really going." "I'll tell you, exactly. I'm going home to lunch, because I've an urgent appointment immediately afterwards." "More plays, I suppose? What sort this time?"