“And you obeyed him like that?” murmured Pauline, astounded.
“I couldn’t help it. I felt so sorry for him. And his voice was so——”
“Rosie!” said Pauline. “You used to be sensible enough!”
“I couldn’t help it!” moaned Rosie again.
CHAPTER XVIII—An Arrangement for a Marriage
Juliette D’Avray had a small sitting-room of her own in the Carpentaria bungalow. It was on the first floor, and it looked west, whereas Carpentaria’s study and bedroom both looked north, on the avenue. Three days after the affair of the black box, Carpentaria ran hastily up the stairs of his house and touched the knob of the door of Juliette’s sitting-room, and then he drew back his hand, nervous and hesitant. He was evidently perturbed, and he pulled his fine beard in a series of quick twitches, and then he rapped smartly on the door and coughed.
“Juliette!” he cried. He was very much surprised to discover that he had not got complete control of his voice. It broke in the middle of his half-sister’s name. “I must do better than this,” he thought, trying to command himself.
There was a pause.