“I don’t think you have met Miss Ismay, Sally,” she said.
Sally merely acknowledged that she had not been introduced, and Sproatly became more sure that the situation was an interesting one, when Mrs. Hastings formally presented her. It was clear to him that Agatha was somewhat puzzled by Sally’s attitude.
As a matter of fact, Agatha, who said that she must have had a cold drive, was regarding the new arrival with a curiosity that she had not expected to feel when the girl first came in. Miss Creighton, she admitted, was comely, though she was clearly somewhat primitive and crude. The long skin coat she wore hid her figure, but her pose was too virile; and there was a look which mystified Agatha in her eyes. It was almost openly hostile, and there was a suggestion of triumph in it. Agatha, who could find no possible reason for this, resented it.
Sally had remained standing, and, as she said nothing further, there was an awkward silence. She was the dominant figure in the room, and the others became sensible of a slight constraint and embarrassment as she gazed at Agatha with unwavering eyes. In fact, it was rather a relief to them when at last she turned to Mrs. Hastings.
“I can’t stop. It wouldn’t do to leave the team in this frost,” said she.
This was so evident that they let her go, and Mrs. Hastings, who went with her to the door, afterwards sat down beside Sproatly a little apart from the rest.
“I’ve no doubt you noticed those mittens,” she commented softly.
“I did,” Sproatly admitted. “I think you can rely upon my discretion. If you hadn’t wanted this assurance I don’t suppose you’d have said anything upon the subject. It, however, seems very probable that Winifred noticed them, too.”
“Does that mean you’re not sure that Winifred’s discretion is equal to your own?”
Sproatly’s eyes twinkled. “In this particular case the trouble is that she’s animated by a sincere attachment to Miss Ismay, and has, I understand, a rather poor opinion of Gregory. Of course, I don’t know how far your views on that point coincide with hers.”