Again the sudden loudness of the sounds from the concert-room. Again the door stood open, and John Hammond in the doorway.
SCENE IX
AND THE PRINCE
The moment she saw who had come into the conservatory the marchioness sat down again promptly, and with a decision which spoke volumes for her intention to remain.
Hammond advanced, and recognized the marchioness with a look of wonder.
“Where is Mauleverer?” he inquired.
“I sent Gerald away,” replied the marchioness, with an intonation which plainly added: “And I should like to send you away, too.”
“That was considerate of you,” retorted Hammond, with a pleasant smile.
There was a vacant space on the seat between the two women, and he took possession of it with a cool deliberateness which appeared to cause the marchioness some dismay.
“I wanted to have a little private chat with Miss Yorke,” she observed, stiffly.
“The very thing I wanted, too. You have done me out of my turn, hasn’t she, Miss Yorke? You are positively quite a cuckoo, my dear marchioness.”