But Mrs. Bethel came forward, smiling nervously. "Oh, please, Mr. Trojan, do come in. We always love to see you--you know we do--you're one of our real friends--one of our best--and it's only too good of you to spare time to come round and see us. But I am busy--it's quite true--one is, you know, in the morning; but I don't think that Mary has anything very important immediately. I think she might stop and talk to you," and in a confusion of tittered apologies she vanished away. But he stood in the doorway, waiting for Mary to speak. She sat with her head turned to the window and struggled to regain her self-command; they had been talked about in the town. She could imagine how it had gone. "Oh! the Bethel girl! Yes, after the Trojan money and doing it cleverly too; she'll hook him all right--he's just the kind of man." Oh! the hatefulness of it! "What's up?" He came forward a little, twisting his hat in his hands. "Nothing!" She turned round and tried to smile. Indeed she almost laughed, for he looked so ridiculous standing there--like a great schoolboy before the headmaster, his hat turning in his hands; or rather, like a collie plunging out of the water and ready to shake himself on all and sundry. As she looked at him she knew that she loved him and that she could never marry him because Pendragon thought that she had hooked him for his money. "Yes--there is something. What is it?" He had come forward and taken her hands. But she drew them away slowly and sat down on the sofa. "I'm tired," she said a little defiantly, "that's all--you know if you will come and call at such dreadfully unconventional hours you mustn't expect to find people with all the paint on. I never put mine on till lunch----" "No--it's no good," he answered gravely. "You're worried, and it's wrong of you not to tell me. You are breaking your promise----" "I made no promise," she said quickly. "You did--that day on the moor. We were to tell each other always if anything went wrong. It was a bargain." "Well, nothing's wrong. I'm tired--bothered a bit--the old thing--there's more to be bought than we're able to pay for." "I've come with a proposition," he answered gravely. "Just a suggestion, which I don't suppose you'll consider--but you might--it is that you should marry me." It had come so suddenly that it took her by surprise. The colour flew into her cheeks and then ebbed away again, leaving her whiter than ever. That he should have actually said the words made her heart beat furiously, and there was a singing in her ears so that she scarcely heard what he said. He paused a moment and then went on. "Oh! I know it's absurd when we've only known each other such a little time, and I've been telling myself that again and again--but it's no good. I've tried to keep it back, but I simply couldn't help it--it's been too strong for me."