She found that she was on her feet, and that he was standing very close to her. She was not quite sure how she came to be there; she hadn't meant to let him pull her up. She studied the pattern of his tie with great intentness and said in a small gruff voice: "I don't know that I want to marry anyone who thinks I'm so objectionable."
Mr. Amberley caught her up in his arms. "My sweet, I think your adorable!"
Miss Shirley Brown, who had just escaped death by drowning, found that a worse fate awaited her. It seemed probable that at least one of her ribs would crack, but she made no very noticeable effort to break free from a hug that was crushing all the breath out of her body.
The apologetic yet not altogether unreproving voice of the sergeant spoke from the doorway. "I beg pardon, I'm sure," it said, "but I knocked twice."
Chapter Twenty
It was eleven o'clock when Lady Matthews, playing Patience, heard the unmistakable sound of the Bentley coming up the drive. Her husband and daughter, who had failed to induce her to tell them what was on her mind, heaved two separate sighs of relief.
Lady Matthews raised her eyes from the card-table. "Quite all right," she said. "It's come out three times running. I wonder if he's brought her here."
They heard the butler's tread in the hall and the opening of the front door. A moment later Shirley, an odd figure in garments that palpably did not belong to her, came in with Mr. Amberley behind her.
Lady Matthews got up. "I knew it was all right," she said placidly. "So glad, my dear. Did you tell Frank?"
Shirley caught her hands. "He knew," she said. "I suppose I've been very silly. He says so anyway."