Virginia succeeded in reaching the door.
“What is it?”
Another voice spoke.
“It is I, Virginia. I have come this evening instead of to-morrow. Please let me come in.”
“Alice? You can’t—I’ll come—wait downstairs.”
She was still able to understand the situation, and able, she thought, to speak coherently, to disguise her condition. The things on the table must be put out of sight. In trying to do this, she upset her glass and knocked the empty bottle on to the floor. But in a few minutes bottle, glass, and spirit-kettle were hidden away. The sugar-basin she lost sight of; it still remained in its former place.
Then she opened the door, and with uncertain step went out into the passage.
“Alice!” she called aloud.
At once both her sisters appeared, coming out of Monica’s chamber. Monica had partly dressed herself.
“Why have you come to-night?” Virginia exclaimed, in a voice which seemed to her own ears perfectly natural.