"Oh, I beg your Ladyship's pardon. I didn't know your Ladyship had come upstairs." It was Cecily's maid.
"In about twenty minutes," said Harry with a nod. Slowly Cecily followed the maid inside.
After he had washed his hands Harry rejoined his friends. They were still sitting in the hall with an air of expectancy.
"You've told her?" cried Mina. "Oh, yes, Mr Neeld has told me everything."
"Well, I've mentioned the bare fact——" Neeld began.
"Yes, yes, that's the only thing that matters. You've told her, Harry?" The last two days made him "Harry" and her "Mina."
"No, I had a chance and I—funked it," said Harry, slow in speech and slow in smile. "She asked me into her room. Well, I wouldn't go."
He laughed as he spoke, laughed rather scornfully.
"It's rather absurd. I shall be all right after dinner," he added, laughing still. "Or would you like to do the job for me, Mina?"
The Imp shook her head with immense determination. "I'll throw myself into the Blent if you like," she said.