“It’s only half-past eight,” she hazarded.

He read on.

She glanced across at Mrs. Cloud, half asleep at the other end of the huge deserted hotel sitting-room. They were the only people indoors on that warm spring night of Italy.

Suddenly she attacked him—

“Justin, you’ll hurt your eyes.” Then, with a curtness that was pure embarrassment, “Justin, what’s the matter?”

“The matter?” He raised his eyebrows.

“Yes. I want to know.” She hesitated. “Is anything wrong? Have I done anything you don’t like? What makes you——?”

“What?”

“Oh, I don’t know—so funny to me. So—grumpy.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know——” he began stiffly.