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from the rest of the world.
    And as day after day passed, and the same conditions prevailed, vorlagers vanished to give place to smart day-time dresses and well-pressed suits, and there were thes-dansants and cocktail parties, that went on noisily for hours at a time in the cheerful atmosphere of the bar; and in the evenings everyone danced as usual, or listened to the Schulplattler singers who fought their way up from the village inn to relieve the boredom.
    Lou was amongst the first to grow seriously bored, for confinement irked her, and she was impatient for her visit to the Baron von Felden’s schloss. The Baron himself was as popular as ever — even more popular when there were so few other distractions; and that was another reason why Lou grew peevish and much more addicted to the little outbursts of temper that were not really typical of her when everything was going her way. But with lovely women with wardrobes as extensive as her own drifting aimlessly about and openly admiring the one man she was anxious to secure for herself it was not easy to appear as if she didn’t mind in the least.
    Alex was as attentive as usual in his alternately gay and rather brooding fashion, and whenever possible she got him to herself; but unless you were openly engaged to a man you couldn’t reasonably object if he danced occasionally with someone else, or wandered off and left you to talk to a man in the bar. Or got roped in to a party that went on until the small hours, and included far too many eager-eyed young things to make it a pleasant party for Lou.
    And in spite of his even temper, and fairly consistent good humour (for even when his thoughtful moods overcame him von Felden never forgot his excellent manners) there was, at times, a touch of dignity and aloofness about the scion of a noble house. A kind of hauteur which the American girl sensed and recognised, and which made it impossible for her to charge him with neglect, or deliberately force him into a position as a result of which he might propose.
    All in good time he would propose ... she felt sure of that. He liked and admired her, and they got on well together, and he needed her money. It was as simple as that! ... But even so, the pace could not be forced, and she would have to be patient. She must be patient.
    But while she was endeavouring, by every means in her power, to prevent him realising how really very impatient she was to have everything signed and settled — to be able to write home to her father in Texas and say, “ I’ m going to be the Baroness von Felden! You can fly out and give me away!” — her temper became so frayed that it was Valentine who really suffered. She was constantly ordered to do things to expensive dresses that were not likely to improve them, but the fact that they were altered gave Lou the feeling that she was straining every nerve, and not missing any cue to gain what she wanted.
    Half dressed, she would rip off a gown or discard a sweater, and declare that she hadn’t anything decent to wear, and then Valentine would go through everything she possessed and persuade her that she had some spectacular surprises in her wardrobe still. She would complain about her complexion, and insist upon instant beauty treatments, and when the hotel hairdresser altered the style of her hair, she was nearly frantic until Valentine had got it back into its old style again.
    She kept Valentine occupied for most of the day, but in the evenings she permitted her to have an hour or two to herself, and it was then that Giles Haversham had a chance to attach himself to Valentine. He was by no means as sympathetic towards Miss Morgan’s anxiety neurosis as Valentine was, but because it was through her that he had met Valentine he attempted to overcome a growing dislike for her.
    “She’s spoilt and selfish, and I think you could have found an easier employer than she’s turned out to be,” he said more than once, but the first time was when