"Because she asked me if you were to be there. When I said you were, she laughed in such a way I grew suspicious. I thought, perhaps, for some reason you could not come, and now I am confessing--I ran over to-night expressly to find out."
"How ridiculous!"
"Rather ridiculous of me not to know before-hand."
"I don't mean that--just queer little complications."
"A mislaid dinner-card might be answerable for more than that."
"It was Miss Venable who asked, quite innocently. And had I known all I know now, I could have taken a chance, perhaps, and said yes."
"You would have been taking no chance where my hospitality is concerned."
"Thank you, Mr. Kimberly, for my husband and myself."
"And you might have added in this instance that if you did not go there would be no dinner."
Alice concealed an embarrassment under a little laugh. "My husband told me of your kindness in placing your yacht at our disposal for the races."