“You have such keen penetration,” he murmured, as if she had paid him a delicate compliment.
“I see you without your mask—that mask which presents the appearance of a smiling, benevolent goodwill! You cannot impose upon me, Spenser Churchill!”
“Do me the credit of admitting, dear lady, that I never tried,” he said, softly.
“No,” she said; “it would have been useless. Others you may deceive; me you cannot. Therefore, I ask you plainly, why you came here? Of course, I know that you were aware I was here!”
“Oh, yes, I was aware of it,” he admitted; “but think, dear Lady Grace, such knowledge does not prove much astuteness on my part. Lady Grace Peyton’s movements are one of the social events which are duly reported——”
“None of the papers said that I was at Barton Towers,” she said, sharply; “you got your information from some other source!”
“What does it matter?” he remarked, soothingly.
“No,” she said; “it does not matter, excepting that it proves what I say, that there is nothing you do not know. And now, once more, why have you come? I put a plain question. I expect a plain answer.”
“If we always got what we expected!” he murmured, mockingly.
She colored and bit her lip.