But I can trust you to manage the affair. By the way, is Judy?"
Noel nodded, smiling.
"Bless her! That's really delightful! Stephen will be so pleased. I dare say I shall see her this afternoon."
She returned to Connie, and Noel, much excited, made his way with all speed to Claridge's, reading the letter as he went. At the hotel he wrote on his card:
In a few moments he was shown upstairs to Petrovitch's rooms.
Petrovitch was standing frowning at the card in the middle of a large and beautifully furnished sitting room. He threw up his head as an animal does when Noel entered, and his protruding lips widened in an unpleasant smile.
"Ah! It is the nephew! The charming aunt's charming nephew. I guessed as much. Well? You have come to say, 'Hands off!' eh? Am I right?"
"Perfectly correct," said Noel. "That saves me a lot of trouble. I merely dropped in to let
