Nan, lingering in the hall, found Andrews beside her.
“Always meant to tell you I loved you, Nan; now’s a good time,” he blurted. “No girl like you, Nancy!”
His wife appeared suddenly at the door and screamed at him to behave himself, while the others laughed loudly.
“Rules all suspended to-night; nobody going to be jealous!” cried Burley encouragingly.
“Got to kiss me, Nan,” Andrews resumed; “kiss everybody else but you never—”
She pushed him away in disgust. Kinney entertainments, viewed soberly, clearly lacked the zest she had found in them when exhilarated. She looked at her watch. She must leave immediately. Copeland beckoned to her and she turned to him with relief.
“It’s half-past eight, Nan; how soon must you go?”
“At once; I shouldn’t have stayed in the first place.”
“Well, I’ll be glad enough to shake this bunch! Get your things and I’ll go for the car.”
He had been a very different Billy to-night. It was clear that he meant to be kind and considerate. The butler passed them bearing a jingling tray to answer a demand for high-balls from the living-room. Billy was the only sober man in the company, and she gave him full credit for his abstemiousness. They were calling her insistently to come and do some of the “stunts” that she had always contributed to their parties.