Besides, as he's a Frenchman, his wife would owe loyalty to France, which Maxine de Renzie never owed.

I wanted--oh, how much I wanted--to be only what Raoul believed me, just a simple, true-hearted woman, with nothing to hide.

It made me sick to think that there was one thing I must always conceal from him, but I did the best I could.

I vowed to myself that I'd break with the past, and I wrote a letter to the British Foreign Secretary, who has always been a good friend of mine.

I said I was engaged, and hoped to begin my life all over again in a different way, though he might be sure that I'd know how to keep his secrets as well as my own.
Oh, Ivor, to think that was hardly more than a week ago! I was happy then.