“How d’ye do?” she said with a charming smile.

In stony silence Mrs. Medallion touched the slight fingers.

“Are you engaged to my nephew?”

“Of course I am,” said Cicely. “That’s why we’re alone. We got engaged last night, so we’re spending to-day in the mountains to recuperate. D’you think he’ll make me happy?”

The ghost of a smile stole into Mrs. Medallion’s face.

“That depends on his wife,” she said. “Why didn’t he tell me?”

“We haven’t told anyone yet,” said Cicely Voile. “And I expect he’s shy. Men are funny like that, you know. They seem to regard their engagement as a confession of weakness.”

“It frequently is,” said Mrs. Medallion. She turned to her nephew. “Toby, you’re a fool. Why shouldn’t you be engaged?”

Captain Rage grinned sheepishly.

“No reason at all,” he said. “Only—only it was all rather sudden, you know. The—the words wouldn’t come.”