"Juliet never breathed a word to Sanders or me. She left us in the dark."
"She would! Most women would. I should have let you know before, but Sonia told me only to-day. I wrote at once and asked you to come."
"Thank you, my White Swan. Many women in your place would have sat still and let poor Juliet go to the devil for treating you in the cattish way she has."
"I've no grudge against her! I should have done so in her place, if—if the man had been you, instead of Claremanagh."
"Darling! You expect to keep me at arms' length after that?"
"Yes—yes! Listen. The Duchess went to Madame Veno."
"How do you know?"
"The Veno woman herself was to inform Sonia if she didn't turn up. In that case Sonia was to urge the Duchess. She—Sonia, I mean—was forced to go to Veno's place as if to have her hand read, because they wouldn't risk anything in writing. Luckily she had to make only one visit, because the very first time she was told the Duchess had been there. She was to come again on the third day. That was all arranged, though Sonia imagined that the Duchess didn't know this. She was to think the arrangement was made later. But the third day is to-day. Sonia thought the first call the Duchess made was late in the afternoon, and something was dropped about the 'same hour next time'. I believe she must be at Veno's at this moment. And if those Inner Circle people are in the thing, and it's a plot of some sort——"
"I'll go there now!"
"What, to the Inner Circle office?"