At his request she attempted to describe these callers. Mutimer recognised them as members of his committee.
‘Rude to you? You must have mistaken. What did they come here for? I shall in any case see them to-night.’
They returned to the subject of Alice’s illness.
‘I’ve half a mind to tell her the truth,’ Mutimer said. ‘Surely she’d put the blackguard out of her head after that.’
‘No, no; you mustn’t tell her!’ Adela interposed. ‘I am sure it would be very unwise.’
Alice was growing worse; in an hour or two delirium began to declare itself. She had resisted all efforts to put her to bed; at most she would lie on a couch. Whilst Richard and his wife were debating what should be done, it was announced to them that the three gentlemen had called again. Mutimer went oft angrily to see them.
He was engaged for half-an-hour. Then Adela heard the visitors depart; one of them was speaking loudly and with irritation. She waited for a moment at the head of the stairs, expecting that Mutimer would come out to her. As he did not, she went into the sitting-room.
Mutimer stood before the fireplace, his eyes on the ground, his face discoloured with vehement emotion.
‘What has happened?’ she asked.
He looked up and beckoned to her to approach.