"By-the-bye," said Flossy lightly, "I hear sad tales of you in town. How often is it that you go to see the new singer—Miss West? Has poor Enid a rival?"
He did not look round; but she saw that her question sent a shock through his nerves.
"I do not know what you mean," he answered coldly.
"Oh, do you not? You may as well speak the truth—to me, Hubert. Are you going to marry Miss West or Miss Vane—which?"
"Neither, I think."
"Don't be absurd. Are you going to marry Miss West?"
"Shall you marry Enid Vane?"
"It is not very likely that she will marry me."
Something in the intense dreariness of his tone struck painfully on Florence's ear. She rose and put her hand on Hubert's shoulder.