‘No, he is at the Old Court,’ said Phyllis. ‘Shall I tell him that you are come?’
‘I will look for him,’ said Claude, and out he went.
The others dispersed in different directions, and did not assemble again for nearly half an hour, when they all met in the drawing-room to drink tea; Claude and Maurice were the last to appear, and, on entering, the first thing the former said was, ‘Where is Phyllis?’
‘In the nursery,’ said Jane; ‘she has had her supper, and chooses to stay with Ada.’
‘Has any one found out the history of the accident?’ said William.
‘I have vainly been trying to make sense of Maurice’s account,’ said Claude.
‘Sense!’ said William, ‘there is none.’
‘I am perfectly bewildered,’ said Lily; ‘every one has a different story, only consenting in making Phyllis the victim.’
‘And,’ added Claude, ‘I strongly suspect she is not in fault.’
‘Why should you doubt what she says herself?’ said Eleanor.