I dare not risk failure.

Is this room hot, or is it my fancy?
Could we have a window open ?" "By all means." He crossed the room and lifted the blind from before one of the high windows which opened seawards.

In the panel of the wall, between the window to which he addressed himself and the next one, was a tall, gilt mirror, relic of the days, some hundreds of years ago, when the apartment had been used as a drawing-room.

Julian, by the merest accident, for the pleasure of a stolen glance at Catherine, happened to look in it as he leaned over towards the window fastening.

For a single moment he stood rigid.