"Indeed he does. He went up in an aeroplane and spun about the place like a tee-to-tum, looping the loop, and soaring and all the rest of it. It made me so giddy that I had to close my eyes. But when he came down safely I went up to his machine and congratulated him on his courage. Then, my dear"--Lady Wyke made a gesture of despair--"my heart was wholly lost to him. His good looks, his bravery, his charming manners--can you blame me?" Claudia declined to say whether she blamed her or not. "You must be making a mistake," she said, in a disturbed manner. "Edwin certainly is in a motor factory, and you might have seen him in one. But he does not go in for aviation. He would have told me had he taken up that profession." "Oh, I don't say that he is a professional," said Lady Wyke, readily. "He is only an amateur, I fancy, and perhaps he did not tell you what he was doing, lest you should worry. I know it would break my heart to think that the man I loved was up in the air risking his darling neck." "I don't see why you should talk of Mr. Craver in that way, Lady Wyke. He is engaged to me." "For the time being, that is." "For ever. How dare you hint at our parting." "Well, my dear girl," said the visitor, impertinently, "you took my husband, so why should I not take your lover?" Claudia rose indignantly, and her mien was that of a queen in a truly royal rage. "I won't allow you to talk to me in that way," she declared, heatedly. "So far as I am concerned, I did not wish to marry your husband, and I never knew that he had a wife already. My father forced me to consent, but now that Sir Hector is dead I am going to have my own way and marry Edwin. You have caused quite enough mischief, Lady Wyke." "Mischief, when I saved you from a marriage you disliked?" "You did not save me. Sir Hector was murdered, and that saved me." "One moment," said Lady Wyke, in cool tones, "you forgot that it was my interposition which sent Sir Hector down to Hedgerton to consider matters. Had he not gone there he might not have been murdered, so I have saved you, in spite of all you say." "Did you send him to Hedgerton to got him murdered?" asked Claudia, scornfully. Lady Wyke lost her breath at this insinuation, and rose indignantly. When she got it again it was to protest. "You go too for. Miss Lemby." "Not so far as you go, madam. How dare you come here and tell me that you love the man I am going to marry?" "And how dare you accuse me of murdering my husband?" The two women faced one another and looked into one another's eyes, each trying to bear the other down. The widow felt her inferiority under the girl's indignant gaze, but managed to retreat gracefully. "Oh, my dear, there is no use our quarrelling like two fishwives. Sit down and let us talk." "We have nothing to talk about, said Claudia, refusing to obey, for by this time she had taken a deep dislike to Lady Wyke.