She noticed that he looked embarrassed.
"No, nothing. Come outside for a few minutes; downstairs is best, where we won't disturb anybody. The whole house seems to have turned in, and it's only ten-thirty."
They descended to the floor below and sat on the broad stairs in semi-darkness. Esther waited, curious to know what he was going to say. He lit a cigarette and seemed reluctant to begin.
"I've been driving in the rain for a couple of hours," he volunteered at last. "I've got a beastly head for some reason or other. I thought the air might do it good."
There was a long, awkward pause, then finally he turned and eyed her with the same shamefaced expression she had noticed at dinner.
"Well," he said abruptly, "what do you think of me?"
She returned his gaze with transparent innocence.
"Think of you?" she repeated. "Nothing. Why?"
He drew a deep breath.
"Come now, Esther, you know you've been wondering about what you saw this afternoon. It wouldn't be human not to. What conclusion did you come to in regard to my stepmother and me?"