Edith felt less mistress of the situation than she had expected. She
was faced with a choice; she felt it; she knew it. She didn't want him
to go. Still, perhaps.... There was a vibration in the air. Suddenly a
sharp ring was heard.

Overpowered by a sudden impulse, Aylmer seized her impetuously by the
shoulders, kissed her roughly and at random before she could stop him,
and said incoherently: 'Edith! Good-bye. I love you, Edith,' and then
stood up by the mantelpiece.

'Mr Vincy,' announced the servant.



CHAPTER XII

'The Moonshine Girl'

The next evening Bruce and Edith were going to the Society Theatre with
Aylmer. It was their last meeting before he was to go away, Edith half
expected that he would put it off, but there was no change made in the
plans, and they met in the box as arranged.

Aylmer had expected during the whole day to hear that she had managed
to postpone the party. At one moment he was frightened and rather
horrified when he thought of what he had done. At another he was
delighted and enchanted about it, and told himself that it was
absolutely justified. After all, he couldn't do more than go away if he
found he was too fond of her. No hero of romance could be expected to
do more than that, and he wasn't a hero of romance; he didn't pretend