“It may be perfectly true that he’s rather more anxious for me to be at the party than he need be. But, after all, there’s not much harm in that, Percy. All I want is to go in with you for twenty minutes or half-an-hour, and then go away quite quickly. After that, if you like, I’ll give you my word of honour not to see him again.”
“What’s the object of it? No, I’m hanged if I go to that man’s house.”
“I promised as a special favour that I’d go.”
“But what’s the reason? Why is he so desperate you should be seen there?”
Percy frowned and thought a moment.
“Has his wife—do you think it’s been noticed he doesn’t come here so often?”
“It may have been. He didn’t say so.”
“Then it’s damned impertinence of him to dare to come and ask you. Why should I take you there to make things comfortable with him and his wife?”
“Oh, Percy!”
“I don’t want to have anything to do with them,” Percy repeated, frowning angrily at her.