第21部分(第1/7 頁)

t　the　station　in　Paris。　That　was　clearly　not　part　of　the　preconceived　plan　…　you　agree　with　me；　Knighton？〃

The　secretary　started。　〃I　beg　your　pardon；　Mr　Van　Aldin。　I　was　not　listening。〃

〃Day…dreaming；　eh？〃　said　Van　Aldin。　〃That's　not　like　you。　I　believe　that　girl　has　bowled　you　over。〃

Knighton　blushed。

〃She　is　a　remarkably　nice　girl；〃　said　Van　Aldin　thoughtfully；　〃very　nice。　Did　you　happen　to　notice　her　eyes？〃

〃Any　man；〃　said　Knighton；　〃would　be　bound　to　notice　her　eyes。〃

Chapter　21

AT　THE　TENNIS

Several　days　had　elapsed。　Katherine　had　been　for　a　walk　by　herself　one　morning；　and　came　back　to　find　Lenox　grinning　at　her　expectantly。

〃Your　young　man　has　been　ringing　you　up；　Katherine！〃

〃Who　do　you　call　my　young　man？〃

〃A　new　one　…　Rufus　Van　Aldin's　secretary。　You　seem　to　have　made　rather　an　impression　there。　You　are　being　a　serious　breaker　of　hearts；　Katherine。　First　Derek　Kettering；　and　now　this　young　Knighton。　The　funny　thing　is；　that　I　remember　him　quite　well。　He　was　in　Mother's　War　Hospital　that　she　ran　out　here。　I　was　only　a　kid　of　about　eight　at　the　time。〃

〃Was　he　badly　wounded？〃

〃Shot　in　the　leg；　if　I　remember　rightly　…　rather　a　nasty　business。　I　think　the　doctors　messed　it　up　a　bit。　They　said　he　wouldn't　limp　or　anything；　but　when　he　left　here　he　was　still　pletely　dot　and　go　one。〃

Lady　Tamplin　came　out　and　joined　them。

〃Have　you　been　telling　Katherine　about　Major　Knighton？〃　she　asked。　〃Such　a　dear　fellow！　Just　at　first　I　didn't　remember　him　…　one　had　so　many　…　but　now　it　all　es　back。〃

〃He　was　a　bit　too　unimportant　to　be　remembered　before；〃　said　Lenox。　〃Now　that　he　is　a　secretary　to　an　American　millionaire；　it　is　a　very　different　matter。〃

〃Darlin