He shook his head. "No, no, ma chérie. I will stand behind you. Miss Melrose, my humble regards to you. Is the black mark still against my name?"
Sheila looked at him with a touch of hauteur that somehow melted into a smile. She had learnt her lesson at Valrosa, and there was nothing to add thereto. This man was never in earnest, and he had never intended her to think him so.
"I banned you as bold and bad long ago," she said. "I don't remember that you have done anything to change the impression."
He laughed lightly, enigmatically. "Nothing in your presence, I fear. The Fates have always been sportive so far as I was concerned. But really I'm not such a bad sort now-a-days, am I, Mrs. Bolton?"
Maud smiled upon him. "Not so bad, I think. But please don't ask me to be your sponsor! I really couldn't play the part."
"Ask me!" said Toby suddenly, with flushed face up-raised. "He saved my life when The Night Moth went down, when most men would only have bothered to save their own."
"What a libel!" laughed Saltash. "Don't you know I only hung on to you because you had a life-belt on!"
"Oh, naturally!" said the General. "That would be your motive. I was sorry to hear about The Night Moth, but you had a lucky escape."
"I always escape somehow," remarked Saltash complacently. "The Night Moth wanted new engines too, that's one consolation. I've just bought another," he added, suddenly touching Toby's shoulder. "Your daddy is quite pleased with her. We've just come round from London in her."
"Oh, have you?" Eagerly Toby's eyes came up to his, "What is she like?
What are you going to call her?"