But London was clearly interested. Next morning the papers were heavy with this great event. It stared at Peter from every corner of the street. Peter did not trouble to read the excited press. Since Wenderby had ceased to cloud the presence of his angel Peter had not regarded him. Frequently he paused that morning in his quiet reading of the law, but he paused to think only of an evening with Lady Mary.
Lady Mary was with Wenderby at that moment in her drawing-room at Arlington Street.
"I am pledged to you, Lord Wenderby," she was saying; and he answered:
"You talk like a creditor."
"Are you not a creditor?" she insisted. "You have put me beyond remedy into your debt."
"My resignation had to come last night, or not at all," he explained. "I was not trying to force you."
She measured him with a look, deliberate and frank.
"If I thought you were trying to force me," she said, "I should not be listening to you now. Your debt will be paid in full. But you must give me time. There are things you must allow me to forget."
Wenderby rose to go. He held her hand at parting, and hesitated a moment. The settled sadness of her manner showed him that she was looking back; showed him also that she had faced the future, and would not weakly remember things she must put away.