I beg your pardon. Did you leave something when you were here with my little brother?

MRS. CURTIS (smiling constrainedly)

Did you happen to see a pair of white gloves?

(Rupert rises and looks in his chair.)

JESSIE

No. There aren’t any here.

MRS. CURTIS

I may have left them anywhere of course. (To Rupert) Don’t bother, please. I thought just possibly— (She stoops slightly and looks behind the settee, and her expression shows a considerable illumination.) If I had left anything here I just wanted to see if it was still—

JESSIE

No; there aren’t any gloves here. (She speaks in a sharp whisper to Rupert.) Sit down! (He does so. Their backs are toward Mrs. Curtis.)