Gay let go of the pink shoulder and stood back.

“When is she coming?”

Marcia looked at a new wrist-watch.

“Well, she’s due now, but she’s always late.”

‘’Why is she coming here? If she wants to see me, why can’t she come and see me? Why drag me here?”

“Really, darling-drag! And we had to get you here because of Francis! You see, even Francis couldn’t think there was anything odd about Sylvia coming to say goodbye to me before I go to Java. At least, I think he might if he knew her as well as we do, but I don’t suppose he does-not about things like that. Now look here, she really does rely on you to help her, because when I was coming away yesterday she simply gripped my hand and said, ‘Where’s Gay? I must see her. Do let me know where she is.’ And she couldn’t say any more than that, because Francis was there, but she pinched my hand till I very nearly screamed, so I thought I’d better find you and let her know. And the minute she heard you were coming, she said she’d dash round in a taxi-and I expect that’s she.”

The telephone bell rang from the pink pedestal beside the bed. Marcia took up the receiver, listened for a moment, and spoke into it.

“Lady Colesborough?… Oh, yes, I’m expecting her. Please send her up.” She turned to see Gay reaching for her hat.

“You can see Sylvia yourself, Marcia.”

Marcia’s colour rose.

“Darling, you can’t go-you can’t! She’s come here on purpose to see you. You can’t!”

“Watch me!” said Gay. She snapped out the words, shut down her lips in a determined scarlet line, and pulled up the collar of her dark grey coat.

“Oh, Gay!”

Something in Gay said, “Run for it!” and she ran. But before she had taken a dozen steps along the corridor she was pulled up short. Sylvia Colesborough was coming towards her-Sylvia pale and lovely, with her golden hair under a little grey cap, and a pale grey squirrel coat falling open over a dress of pale grey wool. She said, “Oh, Gay!” in her lovely helpless voice, and Gay knew that it was too late to run away. Whatever Sylvia Colesborough’s trouble was, it was going to be Gay Hardwicke’s trouble from now onwards.