“I’m very sorry, Mildred. I beg your pardon.”
He had to force the words out. It was a horrible effort.
“Now you’ve said that I don’t mind telling you that I wish I had come out with you that evening. I thought Miller was a gentleman, but I’ve discovered my mistake now. I soon sent him about his business.”
Philip gave a little gasp.
“Mildred, won’t you come out with me tonight? Let’s go and dine somewhere.”
“Oh, I can’t. My aunt’ll be expecting me home.”
“I’ll send her a wire. You can say you’ve been detained in the shop; she won’t know any better. Oh, do come, for God’s sake. I haven’t seen you for so long, and I want to talk to you.”
She looked down at her clothes.
“Never mind about that. We’ll go somewhere where it doesn’t matter how you’re dressed. And we’ll go to a music-hall afterwards. Please say yes. It would give me so much pleasure.”
She hesitated a moment; he looked at her with pitifully appealing eyes.