John Derringham's recovery was now well advanced, even his
broken ankle was mending rapidly and he hoped soon to be well.
A tight feeling grew round her heart, and her eyes dropped absently down
the columns of the engagement announcements in which she took no
interest, and then it seemed that her very soul was struck with agony as
she read:
"A marriage has been arranged and will shortly take place between the
Right Honorable John Derringham of Derringham in the County of
Northampton, Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and Mrs.
Vincent Cricklander of New York, daughter of Orlando B. Muggs of
Pittsburgh, U.S.A."
And it was here that the La Sarthe breeding stood Halcyone in good
stead, for she neither fainted nor dropped the paper--but, after a few
seconds of acute anguish, she rose and, making some little remark about
having forgotten something, quietly left the room.
CHAPTER XXIV
It is possible that, if his revolver had been lying quite near, the
morning John Derringham awoke to the remembrance that he was more or
less an engaged man, he would have shot himself, so utterly wretched and
debased did he feel.
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