Now it was too late.

Suddenly she stopped struggling, and lay there quite still against him, staring up into his face.

‘Simon, you wouldn’t do-that to me-by force?’ she whispered.

‘It won’t be force in the end,’ he said softly, and he kissed her, whether she wanted it or no.

‘Please-’

‘No, don’t struggle again.’ He spoke quite quietly. ‘Listen to me instead.’

‘I don’t want to.’

‘But you must’ He turned her face gently so that she had to look at him, ‘What is this life of yours with Julian really worth? Nothing. He makes you comfortable and gives you money: well, I will make you comfortable and you can have every penny I possess. He gives you a sort of mild, bloodless affection; I will love you, worship you with every bit of my soul. His mind is with another woman three-quarters of the time; I’ll give you, every thought and word, and you shall do with me what you please.’

‘But I don’t love you.’ It came in weary, unvarnished protest, and, though it was only a whisper, it shook him a little.

‘I’ll make you love me,’ he exclaimed vehemently. ‘God knows, I have more than enough for us both. I’ll give you time, darling. You shall learn to love me, as and when you please.’

‘Time,’ she said bitterly. ‘You’ve given me plenty of time to-night, haven’t you?’

‘Oh, that!’ He made an impatient movement, ‘I had to do things that way if they were to be done at all. But if you will stay here with me now, you shall make your own terms. Oh, yes’-as he saw a scornful little smile just touch her lips-’I can control myself. I know; you think I cannot, But you’re wrong. If you’ll stay here now, you shall do what you please-sleep where you please, since you want it in so many words. Only Julian must know that you spent the night here-and he must be allowed to draw the obvious conclusion. It’s the way out. Can’t you see that it’s the only way out? And so utterly simple.’

Her eyes met his for a moment, and then fell. And, for the first time, he knew his proposal had reached her reason instead of just rousing her terrified instinct.

Suddenly she put her hands over her face.

I can’t, Simon, I can’t, I love him too much.’

‘But I’ll make you love me instead.’

‘It isn’t the same.’

‘No, it wouldn’t be the same. It would be something much more secure and beautiful. Perhaps, Alison, it might be the best thing for him.’

‘If I thought that-’ She dropped her hands and stared away from him, her eyes wide and dark in her white face.

There was that heavy silence again, unbroken except for the beating of their hearts.

Then, far away in the distance, came another sound-the hum of a high-powered car being driven at a great speed. There was the rising whine as it topped a hill, and then the sound almost died away as it dropped into a hollow.

Just the sound of a passing car being driven through the night. No more. And yet somehow it recalled Alison to a sense of reality as nothing else could have done. There was an outside world. There was something else besides these bewildering arguments, this insidious persuasion.

She drew away from him with a quick movement he had not expected.

‘I will not do things this way. It’s useless for you to argue.’

But he was at the door before she could reach it, his back pressed against it, his eyes dark and shadowy once more with that peculiar hint of menace.

‘You have no choice,’ he said a little thickly. ‘If you will not stay willingly and tell Julian you spent the night with me, then you shall stay against your will, and I will tell Julian you spent the night with me.’

‘I shall deny it,’ The colour flamed up in her face. ‘And he’ll believe me.’

‘Oh, no, my dear, you will not deny it,’ he assured her gently, ‘for, in this particular case, it will be true.’

‘It will be-what?’ She backed away from him.

He didn’t move. He only looked at her.

She had a wild and useless impulse to scream for help- perhaps to whoever was driving that nearing car. It was like drowning in sight of land to have someone actually pass at the crux of this fantastic scene.

Pass? No; whoever it was must be stopped somehow. No one could possibly hear her scream against the sound of that car, and yet she must make some sort of effort.

By the sound it must be almost level with the cottage now. Alison drew in her breath to scream with all her strength.

But the sound never came, for, with a grinding of brakes, the car drew up abruptly at the gate, and a second later a man’s footsteps were heard crunching up the gravel path.

The sharpness of the knock on the door made them both wince. Then for a moment neither of them moved.

‘Hadn’t you better go?’ Alison said in a whisper.

‘No. It’s probably a friend from Town, taking a chance on my being here,’ he answered in the same low tone. ‘If I don’t go he’ll think the place is empty. If I do, you won’t have much reputation left.’

Alison thought it queer that he should speak of her reputation at that moment.

The knock came again, with a peremptory sound which certainly didn’t suggest that the caller would be easily discouraged. And at that moment Alison pointed to the window.

‘The shutters aren’t closed. He must be able to see a light.’

‘Damn,’ Simon said, and went out of the room abruptly, closing the door behind him.

She heard the latch of the front door drawn back, and listened for the sound of voices.

There was none.

There were three quick steps across the hall instead. The door was flung open, and Julian, paler and sterner than she had ever seen him, stood in the doorway.

‘Julian,’ she said in a fascinated whisper. ‘Julian-’

And then she couldn’t say any more. It was like a miracle to see him standing there-like an answer to all her unspoken prayers.

She supposed he must be thinking- Well, she couldn’t even imagine what he must be thinking. But that scarcely seemed to matter. The relief was so enormous.

Then Julian spoke, quite quietly.

‘Are you ready to come home with me?’

‘Yes-oh, yes.’ Alison spoke eagerly, almost feverishly.

She looked round a little vaguely for her hat, and Simon handed it to her.

It was only then that she remembered his presence again. She looked at him and she saw that his eyes were on her-burning, pleading, compelling. But she could not do what he wanted. Whether it was good for Julian or not, she couldn’t pretend she loved Simon.

‘It’s the last chance,’ he said in a low voice. ‘Can’t you see that, for us all, you must say something?’

She drew back, and Julian’s voice said coldly:

‘I would rather you didn’t speak to my wife just now, Langtoft.’

Simon didn’t take his eyes from Alison.

‘I was reminding her that perhaps she had better say something to you in explanation of. all this.’

‘She doesn’t need to explain,’ was the chilly reply.

‘Oh, yes, I do.’ Alison came to life. ‘Because it’s quite simple really. I went motoring with Simon. We forgot the time and were late starting back. Then we passed the cottage and he thought I looked cold and needed a hot drink. So we stopped. That’s all.’

For a moment Julian’s eyes went to the fire, which had burnt very low by now.

‘I see,’ he said gravely, and held open the door. ‘Shall we go?’

She came without another word.

At the door she looked back for a second at Simon. He had his head thrown back and his nostrils were slightly distended. Then, as their eyes met, he bowed deeply.

‘To the inevitable,’ he said with a flashing smile. But, as she turned away again, she saw that there were beads of perspiration on his forehead.

She went out to the car with Julian, and he handed her in with all his usual courtesy. He carefully tucked a rug round her and asked her if she were quite comfortable.

‘Yes, thank you,’ Alison said in a subdued little voice.