Her genuine distress moved Lance to cease strumming and bestow a friendly pat on her hand.  “Don’t be giving yourself headaches and heartaches over Roy and me, darlint.  We’re going strong, thanks very much!  It would take an earthquake to throw us out of step.  If he chose to chuck his boots at me, I wouldn’t trouble—­except to return the trees if they were handy!  Strikes me women don’t yet begin to understand the noble art of friendship——­”

“Which is a libel—­but let that pass!  Besides—­hasn’t it struck you?  Aruna——­”

“My God!” His hands dropped with a crash on the keyboard.  Then, in a low swift rush:  “Thea, you don’t mean it—­you’re pulling my leg.”

“Bible-oath I’m not.  It’s too safely tucked under the piano!”

“My God!” he repeated softly, ignoring her incurable frivolity.  “Has he said anything?”

“No.  But it’s plain they’re both smitten more or less.”

“Smitten be damned.”

“Lance!  I won’t have Aruna insulted.  Let me tell you she’s charming and cultivated; much better company than Floss.  And I love her like a daughter——­”

“Would you have her marry Roy?” he flung out wrathfully.

“Of course not.  But still——­”

“Me—­perhaps?” he queried with such fine scorn that she burst out laughing.

“You priceless gem!  You are the unadulterated Anglo-Indian!”

“Well—­what else would I be?  What else are you, by the same token?”

“Not adulterated,” she denied stoutly.  “Perhaps a wee bit less ‘prejudiced.’  The awful result, I suppose, of failing to keep myself scrupulously detached from my surroundings.  Besides, you couldn’t be married twenty years to that Vinx and not widen out a bit.  Of course I’m quite aware that widening out has its insidious dangers and limitation its heroic virtues—­Hush!  Don’t fly into a rage. You’re not limited, old boy.  You loved—­Lady Sinclair.”

“I adored her,” Lance said very low; and his fingers strayed over the keys again. “But—­she was an accomplished fact.  And—­she was one in many thousands.  She’s gone now, though.  And there’s poor Sir Nevil——­”

He rose abruptly and strode over to the fireplace.  “Tell you what, Thea.  If the bee in Roy’s bonnet is buzzing to that tune, some one’s got to stop it——­”

“That’s my point!” She swung round confronting him.  “Why not whisk him back to the Punjab?  It does seem the only way——­”

Lance nodded again.  “Now you talk sense.  Mind, I don’t believe he’ll come.  Roy’s a tougher customer than he looks to the naked eye.  But I’ll have a shot at it to-night.  If needs must, I’ll tell him why.  I can swallow half a regiment of his Dyans; but not—­the other thing.  I hope you find us intact in the morning!”

She flew to him and kissed him with fervour; and she was still in his arms, when Roy strolled casually into the room.