'M'm. Do you absolutely want me to pledge myself?'
'Absolutely.'
'Well, Mrs Ferris, I can honestly promise you that you won't hear anything more about it. I . . . I don't think it would pay us.'
Victoria laughed. A great joy of triumph was upon her. She liked Bastable rather, now she had brought him to heel.
'All right,' she said, 'it's a bargain.' Then she saw that his mouth was smiling still and his eyes fixed on her face.
'There's no quarrel between us, is there?'
'No, of course not. All in the way of business, you know.'
He bent across the table; she heard him breathe in her perfume.
'Then,' she said slowly, getting up and pulling on her gloves, 'I'm not doing anything to-night. You know my address. Seven o'clock. You may take me out to dinner.'