“Here!” said Barbara, touching her breast.
“Ah!” muttered Harbinger; “I'm not joking.”
She said gently:'
“Is it as bad as that, my dear?”
But the softness of her voice seemed to fan the smouldering fires in him.
“There's something behind all this,” he stammered, “you've no right to make a fool of me!”
“And what is the something, please?”
“That's for you to say. But I'm not blind. What about this fellow Courtier?”
At that moment there was revealed to Barbara a new acquaintance—the male proper. No, to live with him would not be quite lacking in adventure!
His face had darkened; his eyes were dilated, his whole figure seemed to have grown. She suddenly noticed the hair which covered his clenched fists. All his suavity had left him. He came very close.