"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."