Captain Greaves only shrugged his shoulders and urged the pony along.
What Mr. Kennard had been saying to Rafella, when her husband had left the room, was this:
"I'm afraid I did wrong to come. I hope it won't mean a bad time for you afterwards?"
"I--I hoped it would have been all right," Rafella faltered, gazing down at the keys of the piano. He sighed. "Give a dog a bad name," he quoted despairingly. "In future I suppose I'd better keep away. It would be wiser for your sake. I'd do anything to save you bother and prevent misunderstandings. I should be the only one to suffer, and I dare say I deserve it."
"Oh, I am so sorry! I can't tell you how sorry and ashamed I feel." Her eyes were full of tears as she raised them to his for a moment.
"You know you've only to tell me what you want me to do, and I'll do it, Rafella."
"Hush!" she said tremulously. "If you talk like that, I shall be obliged to tell you to keep away."
"Would you miss me--would you mind if you never saw me again?" Before she could answer, he raised his voice. "And so you see there was nothing else to be done," he said cheerfully, for Coventry had re-entered the room.
Mr. Kennard accepted a drink offered with curtness by his host, and then he went back to his bungalow.
Rafella tidied her music in offended silence. She felt very angry with George. He had behaved so rudely and spoilt the evening, and she meant him to feel her displeasure. George also was silent, provokingly silent; he smoked a cigarette and drank a whisky and soda, and did not appear to be conscious of her annoyance. At last she threw down a volume of songs with a bang on the piano, and burst into tears. To her astonished resentment George took no notice. It was the first time since their marriage that her tears had not melted his heart. In a passion of mortification she rushed from the room. With her usual self-righteous consideration she never exacted her ayah's attendance the last thing at night, so there was no need to check her distress in her bedroom. Still crying she quickly undressed and got into bed, and then she lay waiting for George to come in and say he was sorry, to own himself in the wrong.