"Rosamund! For goodness' sake!" protested Alixe, her gloved hands at her ears.
"Dear!" said Rosamund cheerfully, "take your horrid little boy!"
And she smiled dazzlingly upon Gerald, then turned up her pretty nose at him, but permitted him to attend her to the door.
When he returned to Alixe, and the car was speeding Parkward, he began again, eagerly:
"Jack asked me to come up and, of course, I let you know, as I promised I would. But it's all right, Mrs. Ruthven, because Jack said the stakes will not be high this time—"
"You accepted!" demanded Alixe, in quick displeasure.
"Why, yes—as the stakes are not to amount to anything—"
"Gerald!"
"What?" he said uneasily.
"You promised me that you would not play again in my house!"