"If by your last remark you mean that bell, Evie, it was here before we came, and I fancy you knew it was. At any rate it shall be taken away to-morrow."
Very irritatingly (I have told you how I am not quite the man of phlegm I was) she took me up at my last word.
"Oh, yes, about to-morrow," she said. "You don't happen to be going out to-night, do you?"
"No. Why?" This was stranger than ever. She knew I never went out at night now.
"Because Mrs. Hastie telephoned me to-day. Joan isn't well, and can't come. So perhaps you'd like Sir Julius to ask somebody else—unless, of course——"
"Unless what?"
"Unless—there's somebody you'd rather ask yourself."
For a moment I was silent; then, "Evie," I said slowly, "do you—I don't see how you can, but do you—mean Louie Causton?"
She laughed tremulously. "Oh, very well; if I can't, I can't, I suppose, so that ends it."