That morning Ronald Pryor, accompanied by Beryl, had made a flight in “The Hornet” from Harbury to the Essex coast and back, and they had just arrived in town by train. The renowned Zepp-hunter was in a light grey suit, while Beryl, becomingly dressed, was in a coat and skirt of navy blue gaberdine trimmed with broad black silk braid.
A few moments after Beryl had spoken, her lover turned suddenly, as though to survey the room in search of someone he knew; his gaze met that of the solitary man eating his lunch leisurely in the corner and apparently, until that moment, absorbed in a newspaper. The stranger was good-looking, aged about thirty, thin, rather narrow-faced, with a pair of sharp steel-grey eyes, and a small dark moustache. His shoulders were square, and his appearance somewhat dandified. In his black cravat he wore an unusually fine diamond, and his hands were white and well-kept.
Apparently he was a man of leisure, and was entirely uninterested in those about him, for, after a sharp glance of inquiry at Ronald, he continued reading his paper.
“Are you quite sure you’ve made no mistake?” inquired Pryor of his companion.
“Positive, my dear Ronald. That’s the man whom I met in the uniform of the Royal Flying Corps, and who was so kind to me. No doubt, he doesn’t recognise me in these clothes.”
“Then why isn’t he in uniform now?”
“Perhaps he has leave to wear civvies,” she replied. “There are so many curious regulations and exemptions nowadays.”
Though the stranger’s eyes had met those of Beryl there had been no sign of recognition. Hence she soon began to share Ronald’s doubt as to whether he was really the same person who had descended in that potato field in Lincolnshire, and had so gallantly assisted her in her trouble.
Ronald and his well-beloved, having finished their luncheon, rose and drove together in a taxi over to Waterloo, the former being due to visit his works at Weybridge, where he had an appointment with one of the Government Inspectors.
As soon as they had passed out of the restaurant the man who sat alone tossed his paper aside, paid his bill, and left.