Jack was on the alert in a moment.
"Lord Winborough coming here?"
"Yes, yes. Whatever am I to do?"
"Why should you do anything? Does it matter?" queried Jack, considerably puzzled.
"Matter!" retorted the girl somewhat tartly. "Of course it does. He knows my father quite well, and he would be sure to tell him he had met me here. Oh, I shall get into dad's black books, and so will auntie. What can I do?"
"Ask him not to say anything about it," suggested Jack promptly.
Maudie waxed impatient.
"One can't do that sort of thing. It would only make it seem worse. Can't I hide somewhere? Frankie, I do think you might have told me he was coming."
"But he wasn't expected till this afternoon. You can't blame me," declared Pallister in expostulation.
In the midst of this fluster Evarne stood for a minute as if stunned. Here was an entirely unforeseen contretemps to be dealt with. Quite heedless of Maudie's infinitesimal troubles, she bent all her thoughts on safeguarding her own situation. What would be the result of this visit? Morris would most assuredly hold himself released from his promise of forty-eight hours' silence if he learnt from Geoff that the forbidden marriage was to be actually celebrated within that time. Did Geoff intend taking his cousin into his confidence? She must know that. Concealing every sign of undue anxiety she whispered—