“Any particular form of excuse?” he asked.
“No! Say that I have an unavoidable engagement. I will see him tomorrow morning.”
“Anything else?” Aynesworth asked, preparing to leave the room.
“No! You might see that I have no visitors this evening. Lady Ruth is coming here at nine o’clock.”
“Lady Ruth is coming here,” Aynesworth repeated in a colorless tone. “Alone?”
“Yes.”
Aynesworth shrugged his shoulders, but made no remark. He turned towards the door, but Wingrave called him back.
“Your expression, Aynesworth,” he said, “interests me. Am I or the lady in question responsible for it?”
“I am sorry for Lady Ruth,” Aynesworth said. “I think that I am sorry, too, for her husband.”
“Why? She is coming of her own free will.”