Hal sat down. It was so violently sudden she felt stunned. After a moment Dudley got up and moved aimlessly about the room.
“It’s no use attempting to say anything, Hal. There’s nothing to say. Of course I know you’re sorry, and all that, but I’d rather you didn’t say it. You never liked the engagement, and you never liked Doris. Probably you were justified, but it doesn’t make it any easier for me now.”
“Who has she gone with?”
“I believe he’s a South African millionaire.”
“Ah!—”
“You had heard of him?…” sharply.
“Only last week, from the tenant opposite. She did not know I was your sister, and said something about Doris having two young men, and one of them was a South African millionaire.”
He made no comment, but continued his aimless walk.
“What about Ethel and Basil?” she could not help asking.
“They are terribly upset. As soon as I had been shown the letter I went out to make inquiries. Ethel could not rest for fear everything was not square. She wanted to go off after her at once. But it’s all correct. I saw the Registrar. They were properly married, and they left for Dover at eleven, bound for Paris.”