She roused herself from her reverie and turned again to Coxon. She found him looking at her closely, with a bitter smile on his lips. She had not noticed that Eleanor had got out and accepted Sir John's escort for a stroll. She and Coxon were alone.
"Miss Derosne's displeasure with me," he said, "is fully explained, isn't it?"
"What do you mean?" she asked sharply.
For reply he pointed with his cane.
"She favours the Ministry," he said. "Your views are not hers, Lady Eynesford."
"Oh, she knows nothing about politics."
"Perhaps it isn't all politics," he answered, with a boldly undisguised significance.
Lady Eynesford turned quickly on him, a haughty rebuke on her lips, but he did not quail. He smiled his bitter smile again, and she turned away with her words unspoken.
A silence followed. Coxon was wondering if his hint had gone too far. Lady Eynesford wondered how far he had meant it to carry. The idea of
danger there was new and strange, and perhaps absurd, but infinitely disagreeable and disquieting.