"Let's go and dance, Jimmy," she said, feverishly. "I feel like dancing—to-night."
III
"Halloa, Hugh! Got back, have you?"
The words greeted Massingham as he strolled through the club smoking-room in search of a seat, and with a start he looked at the speaker. So engrossed had he been in his own thoughts that he had failed to notice his brother-in-law, John Ferrers, till he was right on top of him.
"Yes, John—back," he said, slowly. "Back to-day—after four years."
Ferrers grunted and leaned over to pull up a chair. Something wrong—quite obviously. A man doesn't come to his club on the first evening home after four years, under normal circumstances.
"Have a drink!" Ferrers beckoned a waiter and gave the order. "How do you think Delia is looking?"
"Very well," said Hugh, quietly. "Very well indeed. She has gone off to a place called Hector's to-night."
Ferrers paused in the act of lighting his pipe, and looked at him in mild amazement. "Delia gone to Hector's to-night! What the devil has she done that for?"
"A gentleman of the name of Staunton—Jimmy Staunton—arrived in his glad rags after dinner," remarked Hugh. "She went to Hector's with him—I came here."