"No, indeed! Haven't you?"
Claude sat down with a groan, shaking his head, and never seeing the glittering, plump, outstretched hand.
"Haven't you?" repeated Lady Caroline, sitting down herself.
"Not this morning. I made sure he would come here!"
"So he ought to have done. I asked him to lunch. The note was written and posted the instant we came in from the Darlingfords'. Claude, I wasn't nice to you there! Can you forgive me? I thought you were prejudiced. My dreadful temper rose in arms on the side of the absent man; it always was my great weakness rightly or wrongly to take the part of those who aren't there to stick up for themselves!"
Her great weakness was of quite another character, but Claude bowed. He was barely listening.
"I've lost him," he said, looking at Lady Caroline, with a rolling eye. "He's disappeared."
"Never!"
"This morning," said Claude. "I did so hope he was here!"
"He sent no answer, not one word, and he never came. Who saw him last?"