"I'm afraid I can't," replied Guy, shaking his head. "I must get back to Hampstead as soon as possible. There are a lot of things to see to before Tony goes away."
"If you are thinking of giving us a wedding present," said Tony, "we should like the revolver with which you murdered the policeman."
"Come along, Guy," said Lady Jocelyn, taking his arm. "They are an ungrateful pair of children, and we will leave them to their fate."
"I wish I was really rich," said Tony, as the door closed. "I should like to buy Long Acre and put a high wall round it, and never let any one go into it except ourselves." He took Isabel's hands and drew her gently towards him. "I can't think of anything else," he added, "that isn't absolutely and splendidly perfect."
"Only about Molly," answered Isabel, looking up at him with rather troubled eyes. "Oh, Tony, you do think she's safe and happy, don't you?"
"I am sure of it," said Tony confidently. "They can never go back on what they have done, and in about two months Molly will have the whole place under her thumb. If any one's going to be unhappy it will be Da Freitas and the Count de Sé."
"Oh, I do hope so," said Isabel feelingly. Then she paused, and took a long breath. "She will make a wonderful queen, Tony. She will be as good at it as I should have been bad."
"You were meant for something much nicer than that," said Tony.
He drew her down into his arms, and bending forward pressed a long and passionate kiss upon her soft and slightly parted lips.
"I love kissing you, Isabel," he remarked. "You always taste of crushed violets."