CHAPTER IV


When Hal came back from America and heard about Lorraine's marriage, it
was a great shock to her. At first she could hardly bring herself to
believe it at all. Nothing thoroughly convinced her until she stood in
the pretty Kensington house and beheld Mrs. Vivian's pronounced air of
triumph, and Lorraine's somewhat forced attempts at joyousness.

It was one of the few occasions in her life when Lorraine was nervous.
She did not want Hal to know the sordid facts; and she did not believe
she would be able to hide them from her.

When Hal, from a mass of somewhat jerky, contradictory information, had
gleaned that the new leading part at the London theatre had been gained
through the middle-aged bridegroom's influence, her comment was
sufficiently direct.

"Oh, that's why you did it, is it? Well, I only hope you don't hate
the sight of him already."

"How absurd you are, Hal!... Of course I don't hate the sight of him.
He's a dear. He gives me everything in the world I want, if he
possibly can."