“I couldn’t go to the Club this evening, Noreen.  I really couldn’t.  We’d only see that woman again—­with Frank.”

“Well, what of it?  We’re not going to let her think we’re afraid to face her.  I’ve no patience with Mr. Wargrave.  Whatever he can see in her I can’t think.  You’re worth twenty of her, darling.  Shallow, conceited.  She neglected?  She badly treated?  My sympathy is with her husband now.  What fools men are!” And Noreen swept indignantly from the room.

Every moment of the hour that they spent in the Club that evening was a lifetime of torture to Muriel.  She had faced a charging tiger with less dread than she did the crowd at the tea-tables in the rink.  She fancied that every woman who looked at her was laughing in her sleeve at her, that every man who bowed or spoke to her was pitying her.  Suddenly her heart seemed to stop beating, for she saw Frank sitting with Mrs. Norton and two other ladies, her Calcutta cousins, as well as a couple of men in the British Infantry regiment at Lebong.  They were looking at her; and she felt that Violet was pointing her out as the deserted maiden.  She tried to smile bravely when her rival waved her hand and called out a cheery “good evening” to her and Noreen, who answered the greeting with an almost defiant air of unconcern.

For days afterwards she saw practically nothing of Wargrave, who was obliged to be in constant attendance on Mrs. Norton.  Violet had induced the manager of her hotel to find a room for him; and he was forced to transfer himself and his belongings to the Eastern Palace.  She monopolised him, insisted on his taking her shopping in the mornings, calling in the afternoons or to Lebong to watch the polo, or else playing tennis with her at the Amusement Club.  He dined with her every evening and escorted her to the dances, concerts or theatricals that filled the nights during the Season.  He hardly recognised her in the gay social butterfly with seemingly never a care in the world; and she made him wonder every day if she had any love left for him or wanted him to have any for her.  For she showed no desire to be sentimental and treated him very much as she had in the early days of their acquaintance.  She never discussed their future.  He had not the moral courage to ask her outright if she still wanted to come to him.  She gave no indication of being happy only in his company; for she soon began to release him from attendance on her on occasions in favour of some one or other of the new men friends that she rapidly made.  He took advantage of this to see something of Muriel again.

But this did not suit Mrs. Norton.  Even if she did not want Frank herself that was no reason why the girl should have him.  She tried being jealous and insisted on his breaking off the friendship; but, although he hated the scenes that ensued, he resolutely refused to do so.  Then Violet adopted another plan.  She pretended to be convinced by his assurances that it meant nothing and declared that she wished to be friends with Muriel.  She went out of her way to be nice to the girl when they met in public and at last invited her to tea at the Eastern Palace Hotel on an afternoon on which she knew Mrs. Dermot to be engaged.  Muriel accepted because she did not know very well how to refuse.