“Surely. He is playing chess with Elsie. I do not suppose he will interrupt his game.”
Apparently Dr. Evans did not think anything in the least strange. On the whole, this was not to be wondered at, since he knew quite well that Major Ames was coming to talk over garden illumination with his wife.
“Good evening, Major,” he said; “kind of you to come. You and my little woman are going to make a pauper of me, I’m told. There, Elsie, what do you say to my putting my knight there? Check.”
“Pig!” said Elsie.
“Then shall we go out, Major Ames?” said Millie. “Are you coming out, Wilfred?”
“No, little woman. I’m going to defeat your daughter indoors. Come and have a glass of whisky and soda with me before you go, Major.”
They went out again accordingly into the cool starlight.
“Wilfred is so fond of chess,” she said. “He plays every night with Elsie, when he is at home. Of course, he is often out.”
This produced exactly the effect that she meant. She did not comment or complain: she merely made a statement which arose naturally from what was going on in the drawing-room.
But Major Ames drew the inference that he was expected to draw.