"I will tell you as much as this," she continued. "There is a secret.

I admit it. Set yourself to find it out, if you will--but if you do, never dare to call yourself my friend again."

"It is for your good--your good only I am thinking," he declared.

"Then let me be the judge of what is best," she answered.

He was silent. He felt his heart beat faster and faster--his self-restraint slipping away. After all, what did it matter?--it or anything else in the world? She was within reach of his arms, beautiful, compelling, herself as it seemed suddenly conscious of the light which was burning in his eyes. A quick flush stained her cheeks.

She put out her hands to avoid his embrace.

"No!" she exclaimed. "You must not. It is impossible."

His arms were around her. He only laughed his defiance.

"I will make it possible," he cried. "I will make all things possible."

Anna was bewildered. She did not know herself. Only she was conscious of an unfamiliar and wonderful emotion. She gave her lips to his without resistance. All her protests seemed stifled before she could find words to utter them. With a little sigh of happiness she accepted this new thing.

_Chapter XXI_

HER SISTER'S SECRET

"I think," Lady Ferringhall said, "that you are talking very foolishly. I was quite as much annoyed as you were to see Mr. Ennison with my sister last night. But apart from that, you have no particular objection to him, I suppose?"

"The occurrence of last night is quite sufficient in itself," Sir John answered, "to make me wish to discontinue Mr. Ennison's acquaintance.

I should think, Anna, that your own sense--er--of propriety would enable you to see this. It is not possible for us to be on friendly terms with a young man who has been seen in a public place, having supper alone with your sister after midnight. The fact itself is regrettable enough--regrettable, I fear, is quite an inadequate word.

To receive him here afterwards would be most repugnant to me."

"He probably does not know of the relationship," Annabel remarked.

"I imagine," Sir John said, "that your sister would acquaint him with it. In any case, he is liable to discover it at any time. My own impression is that he already knows."

"Why do you think so?" she asked.

"I noticed him call her attention to us as we pa.s.sed down the room,"

he answered. "Of course he may merely have been telling her who we were, but I think it improbable."

"Apart from the fact of his acquaintance with Anna--Annabel," Lady Ferringhall said quickly, "may I ask if you have any other objection to Mr. Ennison?"

Sir John hesitated.

"To the young man himself," he answered, "no! I simply object to his calling here two or three times a week during my absence."

"How absurd!" Annabel declared. "How could he call except in your absence, as you are never at home in the afternoon. And if I cared to have him come every day, why shouldn't he? I find him very amusing and very useful as well. He brought his mother to call, and as you know the Countess goes scarcely anywhere. Hers is quite the most exclusive set in London."

"My feeling in the matter," Sir John said, "is as I have stated.

Further, I do not care for you to accept social obligations from Mr.

Ennison, or any other young man."

"You are jealous," she declared contemptuously.

"If I am," he answered, reddening, "you can scarcely a.s.sert that it is without a cause. You will forgive my remarking, Anna, that I consider there is a great change in your manner towards me and your general deportment since our marriage."

Annabel laughed gaily.

"My dear man," she exclaimed, "wasn't that a foregone conclusion?"

"You treat the matter lightly," he continued. "To me it seems serious enough. I have fulfilled my part of our marriage contract. Can you wonder that I expect you to fulfil yours?"

"I am not aware," she answered, "that I have ever failed in doing so."

"You are at least aware," he said, "that you have on several recent occasions acted in direct opposition to my wishes."

"For example?"

"Your dyed hair. I was perfectly satisfied with your appearance. I consider even now that the present colour is far less becoming. Then you have altered not only that, but your manner of dressing it. You have darkened your eyebrows, you have even changed your style of dress. You have shown an almost feverish anxiety to eliminate from your personal appearance all that reminded me of you--when we first met."

"Well," she said, "has there not been some reason for this? The likeness to Annabel could scarcely have escaped remark. You forget that every one is going to the 'Unusual' to see her."

He frowned heavily.

"I wish that I could forget it," he said. "Fortunately I believe that the relationship is not generally known. I trust that no unpleasant rumours will be circulated before the election, at any rate."

Annabel yawned.

"They might do you good," she remarked. "'Alcide' is very popular."

Sir John turned towards the door.

"It does not appear to me," he said, stiffly, "to be an affair for jests."

Annabel laughed derisively and took up her book. She heard her husband's heavy tread descending the stairs, and the wheels of his carriage as he drove off. Then she threw the volume away with a little impatient exclamation. She rose from her chair, and began walking up and down the room restlessly. Every now and then she fingered an ornament, moved a piece of furniture, or rearranged some draperies.

Once she stopped in front of a mirror and looked at herself thoughtfully.

"I am getting plain," she said, with a little shudder. "This life is killing me! Oh, it is dull, dull, dull!"

Suddenly an idea seemed to strike her. She went to her room and changed the loose morning gown in which she had lunched for a dark walking dress. A few minutes later she left the house on foot, and taking a hansom at the corner of the Square, drove to Anna's flat.

Anna was having tea by herself when she entered. She rose at once with a little exclamation, half of surprise, half of pleasure.

"My dear Annabel," she said, "this is delightful, but I thought that it was forbidden."

"It is," Annabel answered shortly. "But I wanted to see you."

Anna wheeled an easy chair to the fire.