June was upon them; she seized Esther and kissed her rapturously.
"You darling! You'll never know how glad I am to see you. I've been here for hours. Aren't you dead tired? Micky, she looks worn out."
He was dead beat himself; he looked round vacantly.
"I wired Driver--I thought he'd be here...."
"Here, sir," said a voice at his elbow, and there was Driver, stolid and impenetrable as ever.
Micky was unfeignedly glad to see the little man; for almost the first time in his life he realised that sometimes dullness and short-sightedness are a blessing in disguise. Apparently to Driver there was nothing odd in this mad rush over to Paris; his expressionless eyes saw the untidiness of his master' toilet without changing.
"Good man; get me a taxi, then. You must take the car down to your rooms," Micky said to June. "No, don't argue; I insist----"
He put the two girls into the car; he did not look at Esther, though he squeezed June's hand when he said good-bye.
"Let me know if you get back all right; I shall see you soon."
He raised his hat, stood aside, and the car started forward.
June looked at Esther with a sort of shyness. It seemed as if years must have passed since they were down at Enmore.
The car had rolled out of the station and into the heart of London before either of them spoke; then Esther said, stiltedly:
"It wasn't kind at all," she said bluntly. "You're my friends, or, at least, you were, and, as for Micky--well, I love him."
There was a sort of defiance in her voice. She had seen the tired, strained look in Micky's face, and she was nearer being angry with Esther than she had ever been, but she turned and took her hand.
"Somehow I never thought I should see you again," she said, with real emotion. "I haven't slept a wink since you went away."
"You're much too good to me," Esther said. "Everyone is much too good to me."
"I think Micky is, certainly," June agreed exasperatedly. "The man's a perfect fool to run about like he does after a woman who doesn't care two hoots about him.... There! now I oughtn't to have said that. Esther, if you're crying...."
Esther had covered her face with her hands.
"I'm not crying," she said in a stifled voice. "But I'm so ashamed. I don't know what you must think of me--it's so--so humiliating."