“I didn’t know that.”
“Now that you do know, perhaps you will spare yourself the trouble of going there,” said Mrs. Enderby. “I assure you you will not find Caroline there. I myself made certain inquiries. No such person has arrived in Wyngate.”
There was a moment’s silence.
“But I observe by your face that you are not convinced,” Mrs. Enderby went on. “‘This Mrs. Enderby, she is a stupid old creature,’ you think to yourself. ‘I shall go there myself, and I shall discover that which she could not.’”
Lexy reddened again.
“I don’t mean it that way,” she said. “It’s only that we look at this from different points of view, and I feel—I feel that I’ve got to go.”
“Very well!” said Mrs. Enderby, and she, too, rose. “You will please to come to my room with me. There is part of your salary to be paid to you.”
Lexy followed her, still flushed, and very reluctant. She wished she could afford to refuse that money.
“But I’ve earned it,” she thought; “and goodness knows I’ll need it!”
Mrs. Enderby sat down at her desk and took out her check book. While she wrote, Lexy looked out of the window.