"Very well, Owen. I know Miss Loder is useful to you and I am not. But if you refuse to let me help you, I don't think you can complain if I try to fill my time with other things--and if Mrs. Herrick is pleasant and nice to me I cannot very well refuse to know her, can I?" "To know her? Certainly not--but there is a difference between knowing her casually and being with her all day long." "I am not that," she replied quietly. "I take her motoring sometimes, because it is dull going alone, and it is a treat to her. But of course if you object--it is your car----" "Oh, don't be silly, Toni." All Owen's pent-up irritation found vent in the words. "I'm not a dragon--or an ogre, am I? Take Mrs. Herrick by all means--have her here if you like, only for goodness' sake don't talk as though I wished to condemn you to perpetual loneliness." "Very well. I won't." She rose as she spoke. "You've finished, haven't you? Then I'll go and see Mrs. Blades--she is ill again to-day, Kate says." "Is she? Poor old soul." Owen rose too, and passing round the table laid his hands on Toni's shoulders. "Toni, we're not quarrelling, are we? Have I neglected you lately? I'm sorry if I have--when the book's out we will have a trip abroad, go on the Riviera or somewhere nice and warm." He stooped, and kissed her, but though she lifted her face obediently and even returned his caress, Toni's lips were cold and her eyes had lost their sparkle. Owen's inflexibility frightened her. She had half expected that when he knew her real and vital dislike for Miss Loder he would promise to send her away; but he had done nothing of the kind: and Toni felt again, as she had already felt once or twice of late, that Owen had no intention of giving in to his wife's fancies, as some men were always ready to do. She had intended to offer to give up Eva Herrick's friendship if Owen would send away Miss Loder. In the quiet hours of the night such a bargain had seemed simple enough; but when it came to making the suggestion Toni's heart failed her. "Are you going motoring to-day, Toni?" "I had thought of it," she said slowly; "but--do you want the car?" "No, thanks, dear. I'm going up to town by the twelve-thirty--I promised to meet Barry for lunch. Shall you be in?" "No. I thought of lunching out," said Toni rather vaguely. "Oh. Well, you'll order Miss Loder's lunch then, won't you? She must have it alone to-day." Owen, occupied with a letter he held in his hand, had spoken thoughtlessly; but an exclamation from Toni made him pause and regard his wife in amazement. Toni's pallor had given way to a deep flush, and her usually sweet eyes blazed with rage. "Oh, I'll order Miss Loder's lunch." She spoke in sharp staccato tones. "You needn't be afraid I will neglect her because you're away. I _can_ keep house, if I'm not a B.A.; and thank Heaven I shan't have to sit at the table and listen to her sneering at me all the time."