She made a slight helpless movement.

‘It’s no good. I’ve tried-last night. She wouldn’t listen. The invitations are out.’

‘She could say you had measles or something. My cousin Elizabeth Baillie did that.’

‘Aunt Sybil wouldn’t.’

It was possible to make himself believe that she would. Feeling like that about it, there really wasn’t much chance of convincing Lila. His thoughts recurred to Bill Waring. There had been something about meeting a train. If it was a case of meeting trains, Bill must be back. He gazed at her in an unhappy way and put the question.

‘Is Bill Waring back?’

‘Yes, he is.’

‘Have you seen him?’

‘Oh, no.’

An unaccustomed frown drew his brows together.

‘You said something about meeting a train. When did he get back?’

She caught her breath.

‘It was yesterday. Ray wanted me to go and meet him. Adrian, I couldn’t-could I?’

Instead of saying, ‘Not if you didn’t want to,’ which was what she expected, he took her by surprise.

‘Why couldn’t you?’

A faint flush tinged her cheeks. Her eyes widened.

‘The invitations-Aunt Sybil-’

‘That wouldn’t have stopped you if you had really wanted to go.’ He waited a moment, and then said, ‘Would it?’

She looked at him like a pleading child.

‘He didn’t write. Aunt Sybil said he’d forgotten all about me. I didn’t know he’d had an accident.‘

‘Did he have an accident?’

‘Ray said he did. She said he was in hospital and he didn’t even know who he was. So he couldn’t write, could he? But he’s all right now-she met Mr. Rumbold, and he told her!’

‘And you still didn’t want to go and meet him?’

She hung her head.

‘I thought he’d be angry-about my marrying Herbert.’

‘My dear child! You wouldn’t expect him to be pleased- would you?’

Her hand came out and slipped into his.