Anna the Adventuress

"I think," Lady Lescelles said, putting down her teacup, "that I must

send Nigel to plead his own cause. I may tell him, at any rate, that

you will see him?"

"I shall like to see him," Anna answered. "I really owe him something

of an apology."

"I will tell him," Lady Lescelles said. "And now let us leave the men

alone and talk about ourselves."

* * * * * "I am delighted to see you all here," Anna said smiling upon them from

behind the tea-tray, "but I shall have to ask you to excuse me for a

few minutes. My agent is here, and he has brought his contract for me

to sign. I will give you all some tea, and then I must leave you for a

few minutes."

The three men, who had arrived within a minute or two of one another,

received her little speech in dead silence. Ennison, who had been

standing with his back to the window, came suddenly a little further

into the room.

"Miss Pellissier," he said, "I came here this afternoon hoping

particularly to see you for a few moments before you signed that

contract."

She shook her head.

"We may just as well have our talk afterwards," she said, "and I need

not keep poor Mr. Earles waiting."

Courtlaw suddenly interposed.

"May I be allowed to say," he declared, "that I came here with the

same intention."

"And I also," Brendon echoed.

Anna was suddenly very quiet.

She was perhaps as near tears as ever before in her life.

"If I had three hands," she said, with a faint smile, "I would give

one to each of you. I know that you are all my friends, and I know

that you all have very good advice to give me. But I am afraid I am a

shockingly obstinate and a very ungrateful person. No, don't let me

call myself that. I am grateful, indeed I am. But on this matter my

mind is quite made up."

Ennison hesitated for a moment.

"Miss Pellissier," he said, "these gentlemen are your friends, and

therefore they are my friends. If I am to have no other opportunity

I will speak before them. I came here to beg you not to sign that

contract. I came to beg you instead to do me the honour of becoming

my wife."

"And I," Courtlaw said, "although I have asked before in vain, have

come to ask you once more the same thing."

"And I," Brendon said, humbly, "although I am afraid there is no

chance for me, my errand was the same."

Anna looked at them for a moment with a pitiful attempt at a smile.

Then her head disappeared suddenly in her hands, and her shoulders

shook violently.

"Please forgive me--for one moment," she sobbed. "I--I shall be all

right directly."