"Righto, old thing!" said Tony smilingly, and his eyes followed Myra as
she cantered away, the cynosure of many admiring glances.
Tony liked her to be admired. It seemed a compliment to his own good
taste and discrimination. He liked to think that other men envied him
his position as Myra's accepted lover. It pleased him to be pointed
out as the lucky man who had won the heart and hand of the beautiful
Miss Rostrevor, and he was not unconscious of the fact that he was
being pointed out as he strolled along the Row after watching Myra out
of sight.
"I remembered your instructions, darling," he announced, when he called
on his betrothed at her aunt's house in Mayfair a couple of hours
later. "Here we are! Chocs, your favourite brand of cigarettes, a few
roses, and--er--just a little thing here that caught my eyes in
Asprey's window, which I thought you might like."
The "little thing" he produced from his pocket was a platinum bracelet
set with diamonds, and Myra uttered an involuntary exclamation of
admiration as she opened the case containing it.
"How lovely! Sure, but you're an extravagant darlint, Tony! You
deserve a kiss for this."
She just brushed Tony's cheek with her lips, and evaded him when he
tried to enfold her in his arms.
"Myra, darling, I want to fix a date for our wedding," said Tony.
"Let's get married before the Season is over, or early in the Autumn,
and spend a long honeymoon in the East or in the South Seas. I want to
make you all mine as soon as possible, dear. Let's arrange to get
married next month."
Myra's smile faded, and she shook her red-gold head.
"Tony, darlint, I don't want to marry you just yet," she answered
gently. "I told you when we became engaged that you must give me time
to get accustomed to the idea of becoming your wife, time to try to
fall in love with you first."
"Why not reverse the usual procedure, marry me first and fall in love
with me after?" suggested Tony, and again Myra shook her head.
"I love taking risks, Tony, but that would be too great a risk," she
responded. "It would be ghastly for us both if I married you and found
myself incapable of loving you, and tragic if I fell in love with
somebody else later. Please be patient, Tony. I am really and truly
trying to fall in love with you."