"Ah, Mary! There you are! Whenever you are ready—"
"I have been waiting for you a long time," said Miss Carstairs. "It was so splendid, Mr. Hare! Is Jenny there? We'll go at once."
She turned to Varney, cool as a dewy rose, and came forward a short step. "I—I must say this before I go: has no one told you that you are in danger here?"
Under her tone and her look, his plan of being the easy master of the situation grew increasingly difficult. "Everybody has told me," he said rather shortly. "It's gotten to be a bore."
"Then—won't you—won't you please go away before—anything happens?"
"I am going on Thursday afternoon," he answered, stung by her beauty, which was so remote, and by the sudden compassion in her voice. "My engagements will keep me here till that day, you remember? I promise you, since you are so good as to interest yourself in the matter, that I shall leave Hunston directly after that—"
"Your engagements on Thursday?" she repeated, looking away. "Are—you speaking of—"
"The luncheon on my yacht. We are inviting Mr. Hare and his sister to meet you."
"I am sorry," began Miss Carstairs, not looking at him, "but—I—I find that I shall n—"
"Er—Mary?" said the candidate's voice through the window.