‘Thank you, dear.’
Adela took the parcel and laid it aside. There was an awkward silence. Letty could not look up.
‘He was going to see Mr. Wyvern,’ she continued, as if anxious to lay stress on this. ‘He seems to know Mr. Wyvern very well.’
‘Yes? You didn’t miss Alfred, I hope. He went out a very short time ago.’
‘No, I saw him. He stayed with the others. But I have something more to tell you, about—about him.’
‘About Alfred?’
‘About Mr. Eldon.’
Adela looked at her friend with a grave surprise, much as a queen regards a favourite subject who has been over-bold.
‘I think we won’t talk of him, Letty,’ she said from her height.
‘Do forgive me, Adela. I have promised toto say something. There must have been a great many things said that were not true, just like this about his marriage; I am so sure of it.’