“I don’t see what odds that makes.”
“ I m-mean he wasn’t one of our servants at all. The c-coach-man wasn’t either. They were L-Lord Lethbridge’s.”
“What?” ejaculated the Viscount, his brow growing black as thunder.
Horatia nodded. “Yes, and they drove me to his house. And I w-went in before I realized.”
The Viscount was moved to expostulate: “Lord, you must have known it wasn’t your house!”
“I tell you I didn’t! I know it sounds stupid, but it was raining, and the f-footman held the umbrella so that I c-couldn’t see m-much and I was inside b-before I knew.”
“Did Lethbridge open the door?”
“N-no, the porter did.”
“Then why the devil didn’t you walk out again?”
“I know I should have,” confessed Horatia, “but then Lord Lethbridge came out of the s-saloon, and asked me to step in. And, P-Pel, I didn’t understand; I thought it was a m-mistake, and I d-didn’t want to make a scene before the p-porter, so I went in. Only n-now I see how foolish it was of me, because if Rule comes to hear of it, and m-makes inquiries, the servants will say I went in w-willingly and so I did!”