"She's an angel."
"That means, you love her."
"How do you----?"
"Because you are a brick wall I can see through, Mr. Askew. No; I have never met Mrs. Berring. Why did she throw you over and marry Mr.--er--Berring?"
Askew looked quite alarmed. "I say you are clever," he remarked.
"Why not? You called me Circe, and I must live up to the name. Well?"
"Well!" echoed Askew, blankly, and their eyes met. He coloured. "No, I can't tell you," he said quickly, for he guessed her desire.
"Yes, you can, and you will," rejoined Leah, composedly.
Jim was bearing the artillery of Mrs. Penworthy's eyes in his usual indifferent way, and showed no disposition to seek out his wife. Probably he would remain for the next hour in the clutches of the little woman, who was the limpet to Jim's rock. This being so, Leah began to ask questions which Askew hesitated to answer.
"We hardly know one another," he murmured, embarrassed. "I daren't tell you, Lady James."