Malcourt bent forward saying something to her, but she rose while he was speaking, as though she had not heard him; and Hamil walked through the circle to where she stood.

A number of very young men looked around at him with hostile eyes; Malcourt's brows lifted a trifle; then he shot an ironical glance at Shiela and, as the circle about her disintegrated, sauntered up, bland, debonair, to accept his conge.
His bow, a shade exaggerated, and the narrowed mockery of his eyes escaped her; and even what he said made no impression as she stood, brightly inattentive, looking across the little throng at Hamil.

And Malcourt's smile became flickering and uncertain when she left the terrace with Hamil, moving very slowly side by side across the lawn.
"Such lots of pretty women," commented Shiela.

"Have you been passably amused ?" "Passably," he replied in a slightly sullen tone.
"Oh, only passably?
I rather hoped that unawakened heart of yours might be aroused to-day." "It has been." "_Not_ Mrs.Ascott!" she exclaimed, halting.
"Not Mrs.Ascott." "Mrs.Tom O'Hara! Is it?
Every man promptly goes to smash when Mrs.Tom looks sideways." "O Lord!" he said with a shrug.
"That is not nice of you, Mr.Hamil.If it is not with her you have fallen in love there is a more civil way of denying it." "Did you take what I said seriously ?" he asked--"about falling in love ?" "Were you not serious ?" "I could be if you were," he said in a tone which slightly startled her.

She looked up at him questioningly; he said: "I've had a stupid time without you.