“Confound her,” ejaculated Rowley mentally, and he congratulated himself on the emptiness of London, resolving to keep his head well back and sit a little on one side as they went through Piccadilly.  Doady asked a question about some friend in whom she had formerly felt an interest; this led to past reminiscences and the telling of some good story, over which Rowley was still laughing when there came a crash, followed by a bump and a swaying forward and back.  “Hang the fellow, he’s run into another hansom!”

In an instant Rowley had dexterously jumped out on to the pavement; the occupant of the other hansom, whose wheel was locked into theirs, obeying the same instinct, had done the same.

“Why, if ain’t Teddy Vere.  Oh my!” ejaculated one feminine voice shrilly, while from under a red parasol, still open, another groaned, “Rowley! it can’t be!  Oh, what will become of me?”

Self-preservation is the first law of nature; the woman who hesitates is lost.  Before another minute had passed Nina was out of one cab and into another close by.

“Drive off as fast as you can—­never mind where!  I’ll tell you when we get further on,” and five minutes later she gave the cabman the address of Mrs. Chetwode’s house.

Bursting into the room she cried, “Oh, Bella, such a horrible thing has occurred!  Do help me.”  And she told her the whole story, ending by saying, “I left word at home, when I went out, that I was going to see you.”

Mrs. Chetwode said something by way of calming her, and then she rang the bell.

“Tell Martin to go to Mrs. Dacres’, and say she will not return to dinner, I’ve prevailed on her to stop with me.  Now, my dear, try and keep calm and put on the best face you can, and we must trust to Providence to help us through.”

“But suppose he saw me”

“Oh, no, we’ll suppose he didn’t see you; and I think you may trust to Teddy—­he’s got his head screwed on the right way.”

Nina wiped away the tears which had flowed over.  “Nothing can excuse me for being so imprudent,” she said with a half sob; “all the time I knew how wrong it was of me; and the worst is, Bella, I didn’t care.”

“Didn’t care!  How?”

“I mean I didn’t care for Teddy.  What could a boy like that possibly be to me?  Why, of course I love Rowley dearly—­more than I could tell you; and to think I should risk it all in this stupid way.  Oh! it’s my abominable vanity; that’s what it is.  Aunt Jane always said it would be my ruin, and so it will be—­after this, you see, Rowley will believe anything of me?  Oh, Bella, what shall I do?  I shall die.”

“Well, my dear, it’s the best thing that could happen to you if you are going to behave in this absurd manner.”  Mrs. Chetwode saw that strong measures must be resorted to; she quite intended reading Nina a lecture; but the time to do so was not now.  “There’s no doubt but that you have been imprudent, very; but if I am to help you it’s not by letting you sit there and cry.”