And your relationship with Mr. Lambert would suffer far less. I assume you have taken that into your considerations? If you break your promise to Miss Lambert, you can hardly expect his future patronage."

"Of course I have taken it into consideration!" Melville said bitterly, standing now at the door. "I cannot win! It is only a question of how much I lose. But I am not prepared to marry in order to further my professional career." He looked at Rathbone with contempt, as if he believed Rathbone would do such a thing himself, and yet beneath the anger and the disgust there was still the deep fear-and a flickering light of hope. "I am a very good architect, Sir Oliver," he added softly. "Some have even said brilliant. I should not need to prostitute myself in order to obtain work."

Rathbone was stung by the words. He realized with a flush of shame that he had half intended to insult Melville, without having the slightest idea of his professional ability or anything other of his personal situation than the one problem of which he had spoken. There were numerous personal reasons why a man might not wish to marry, many often too delicate to explain to others, whatever the pressure.

"I will help you if I can, Mr. Melville," he said more gently. "But I fear that from what you have told me, there would be very little I could do. Let us agree to leave the matter until you have done your best to persuade Miss Lambert to break the engagement herself." He sounded more encouraging than he meant to. He did not intend to take the case. He had already given his best advice in the matter.

"Thank you," Melville said with his hand on the door, his voice flat. "Thank you for your time, Sir Oliver."