“Unable?”
He looked so astonished that the unhappy Cicely found herself blushing. To save an intolerable situation she made another blunder.
“I mean if . . . my mother was too proud to accept his help?”
Grimshaw replied with a sub-acid inflection. He detested the waste of labour in making mountains out of molehills.
“But, frankly, Miss Chandos, is she too proud to accept the help of her own son-in-law?”
Cicely’s eyes, beneath his sharp glance, showed a hunted expression. Why was Mrs. Rockram so long making a fresh brew of tea? Why had Fate ordained that she should meet this man twice in one day? What would Tiddy do in such an emergency? It is certain that Tiddy would not have looked piteous. Grimshaw’s voice became tender as he put another question.
“Am I distressing you?”
“N-no.”
“But, forgive me, you look distressed. It is possible, of course, that my zeal for the welfare of Upworthy has caused—how shall I put it without offence—some friction between Lady Selina and you?”
She assured him too eagerly that this was not the case.