"Yes, dear?" answered Jenny, without looking at her.
"I was in the prison that night You know what I mean. I made a suggestion to Martin."
"Ruth darling," said Jenny sincerely, "I don't mind. At least—"
"I don't mean that kind of suggestion!"
Martin felt like dropping through the floor. Jenny was so surprised she almost looked round.
"About Ricky's — unbalanced state of mind," said Ruth tensely. "I apologize. It was horrible of me. I honestly thought there might be something — well odd about your side of the family."
Lady Brayle, outraged, turned round majestically. Jenny, with an exclamation of pleasure, put her hand across towards Ruth.
"And that's the only reason you went there?" Jenny did not stop for an answer, which was just as well. "Ruth, everybody thinks that very same thing when your parents are estranged, and everything seems mixed up, and you have a grandmother as reserved and reticent as mine!"
"Ruth," Stannard said softly.
All through H.M.'s recital his strong personality had been repressed, buckled in, to the steady gleam of attention in his eyes. Now, sitting on the arm of the sofa, his husky chuckle seemed to dominate the room. He put his hand under Ruth's chin and tilted it up so that he could look at her eyes.