The veriest hint of surprise flickered for an instant in his eyes; he looked at her for a moment, rather searchingly, she thought. Then he moved forward. “But won’t you sit down Horry?”
She stayed where she was, her hands gripping the back of a chair. “No, I think I’ll s-stand,” she answered. “M-Marcus, I had better tell you at once that I’ve done something d-dread-ful!”
At that a smile quivered at the corners of his mouth. “I’m prepared for the worst, then.”
“I assure you, it isn’t f-funny,” said Horatia tragically. “In f-fact, I’m afraid you will be amazingly angry, and I m-must own,” she added in a rush of candour, “I d-deserve it, even if you beat me with that whip, only I d-do hope you won’t, M-Marcus.”
“I can safely promise you that I won’t,” said the Earl, laying both whip and gloves down on the table. “Come, Horry, what is the matter?”
She began to trace the pattern of the chair-back with one finger. “Well, I—w-well, you see, I—M-Marcus, did they give you my m-message last night?” She raised her eyes fleetingly, and saw him gravely watching her. “I desired the p-porter to tell you, if-if you asked, that I was gone to Ranelagh.”
“Yes, I did get that message,” Rule answered.
“Well—w-well, I did go there. To the ridotto. And I w-went with Lord L-Lethbridge.”
There was a pause. “Is that all?” Rule asked.
“No,” confessed Horatia. “It’s only the b-beginning. There’s m-much worse to come.”