"Then it was a trap!" she exclaimed, and beneath the utter scorn and
contempt which rang in her voice any other man would have winced. But it
affected Brett not one jot.
"Yes. And would have succeeded admirably, but for your interference. Tell
me, how did you persuade Ann not to come? It isn't like her to back out of
a bargain."
"No, it isn't," agreed Cara warmly. "Ann would always keep her word--even
if the keeping of it half killed her."
"Then how?"
There was a suspicion of veiled triumph in her smile.
"It was quite simple," she said. "I sent her a wire, saying, 'Don't come
to-night'--and signed it 'Forrester.'"
Brett burst out laughing.
"My felicitations! That was quite a stroke after my own heart! But still,
you'll agree, it was rather a liberty to take with my name, wasn't it?"
"A liberty? Perhaps. But you were trying to _ruin_ Ann's name--and her
happiness. Won't you change your mind, Brett, and sell me those notes of
hand?" she added, with a sudden entreaty.
"I hate refusing you," he smiled back.
She realised the futility of pleading with him further, and drew her furs
round her shoulders preparatory to leaving him.
"Then I'll go back.
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