"Vio," I meant to say, "if you don't want me back, if anything has happened to make it best for me to go away again forever, you've only to say the word and I'll do it."
But while I was still descending she swept into the hall. Her movements were always rapid, with a careless, commanding ease. She was once more the Zuloaga woman all on fire within.
"How long do you think it will be, Billy, before your tailor can make you look as you ought to?"
I paused where I was, some three steps above her. "It may hardly be worth while to consider that, Vio—"
"Oh, but it is," she interrupted. "If we're going to put this thing through we must do it with some dash. That's essential."
"Why—why the dash?"
"Because there's no other way of doing it. Don't you see? If you just come in by the back door—" She left this sentiment to continue in her own way. "Alice Mountney is going to give a big dinner and invite all your old friends."
My heart sank.
"Is that necessary?"
"Of course it's necessary. It isn't a matter of preference. As far as that goes it will be as hard for me as for you. If I took my own way I should never—" Once more she left me to divine her thought while she added, firmly: "It has simply got to be done. We must make people think—"