“Who has been making inquiries?” Jessica asked quickly.
“Why, who but the lady to whom you are so devoted—Cora Hartsilver, also her shadow, Yootha Hagerston, also a Captain Preston, also a young journalist named Hopford, and lastly a friend of the lot, whose name is Blenkiron. Those five have set themselves the task of discovering all about both of you, and about Archie, and I should not be surprised if presently they hit upon the right trail. If they don’t hit it they won’t fail for want of trying, and if by some mishap the douceur I have mentioned should go astray on Friday——”
“Good heavens, Levi, you wouldn’t do that—you couldn’t!”
Jessica had sprung to her feet and, abandoning her habitual calm, seemed beside herself.
“Naturally I wouldn’t do it, though I disagree with you that I couldn’t, Jessica,” the little man said in his even tones, partly closing his eyelids as though to get her profile in better perspective.
Jessica looked relieved.
“Always supposing,” he went on, “you keep your part of the bargain.”
“Bargain!” Stapleton exclaimed. “I never made a bargain. You wanted me to, but I refused—we both refused. You can’t have forgotten that!”
“I forget everything I don’t wish to remember,” Levi replied, his eyes now only slits. “Jessica, you look very beautiful to-day—more beautiful than you have ever looked, or than I have ever seen you look. I am not surprised that London raves about you.”
He rose before she could reply, and extended his hand, which she took reluctantly. He held it a moment longer than the occasion seemed to warrant, then dropped it.