"Will you explain at once, sir," Philippa demanded, "what you mean
by forcing your way into my house in this extraordinary fashion, and
by locking that door?"

"I am most anxious to do so," was the prompt reply. "I am correct,
of course, in my first surmise that you are Lady Cranston--and you
Miss Fairclough?" he added, bowing ceremoniously to both of them.
"A very great pleasure! I recognised you both quite easily, you see,
from your descriptions."

"From our descriptions?" Philippa repeated.

The newcomer bowed.

"The descriptions, glowing, indeed, but by no means exaggerated,
of your brother Richard, Lady Cranston, and your fiancé, Miss
Fairclough."

"Richard?" Philippa almost shrieked.

"You have seen Dick?" Helen gasped.

The intruder dived in his pockets and produced two sealed envelopes.
He handed one each simultaneously to Helen and to Philippa.

"My letters of introduction," he explained, with a little sigh of
relief. "I trust that during their perusal you will invite me to
have some tea. I am almost starving."