It was impossible to quarrel with a man who showed himself so perfectly polite and, at the same time, so perfectly indifferent. Hammond’s tone lost some of its hostility.
“That is not the point. Till you spoke, I had never heard of the existence of this—slander.” The momentary hesitation before the word did not escape the watchful Despencer. “You have spoken, fortunately or unfortunately, and, now I have heard of it, I cannot rest till I know more.”
“Is that necessary?”
The tone in which the question was put made it a friendly remonstrance, as much as if Despencer had said: “My dear fellow, you want to think well of this woman. Why persist in making me undeceive you?”
Hammond felt the implied warning in all its force. Nevertheless he answered:
“Yes, it is necessary. The matter cannot end like this; I have a motive for pursuing it. You heard what those other men said when Miss Yorke was announced. I must be able to satisfy myself that this statement is without foundation.”
Despencer could not quite resist a sneer.
“I should think that was easy enough. You have only to ask the lady if she knows Lord Severn.”
Hammond frowned impatiently as he said, aloud, but rather to himself than to Despencer:
“And what will be her answer?”