She moved away from him, feeling for her hatpins and turning to lay her
hat and sunshade on the table.
Suddenly she said: "That woman has been talking to me."
Gannett stared.
"That woman? What woman?"
"Mrs. Linton--Mrs. Cope."
He gave a start of annoyance, still, as she perceived, not grasping the
full import of her words.
"The deuce! She told you--?"
"She told me everything."
Gannett looked at her anxiously.
"What impudence! I'm so sorry that you should have been exposed to this,
dear."
"Exposed!" Lydia laughed.
Gannett's brow clouded and they looked away from each other.
"Do you know _why_ she told me? She had the best of reasons. The first
time she laid eyes on me she saw that we were both in the same box."
"Lydia!"
"So it was natural, of course, that she should turn to me in a
difficulty."
"What difficulty?"
"It seems she has reason to think that Lord Trevenna's people are trying
to get him away from her before she gets her divorce--"
"Well?"
"And she fancied he had been consulting with you last night as to--as to
the best way of escaping from her."
Gannett stood up with an angry forehead.
"Well--what concern of yours was all this dirty business? Why should she
go to you?"
"Don't you see? It's so simple. I was to wheedle his secret out of you."
"To oblige that woman?"
"Yes; or, if I was unwilling to oblige her, then to protect myself."
"To protect yourself? Against whom?"
"Against her telling every one in the hotel that she and I are in the same
box.
Pages:
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101