"One would say with the chauffeur," hazarded Mrs. Arbuthnot, promptly.
Mrs. Catesby's countenance fell. She made no attempt to dissemble her disappointment.
"Then Odo has told you after all."
"Not a syllable, I assure you, Mary. But I am certain that if Mrs. Fitz has bolted with anybody, it must have been with the chauffeur."
"How clever of you, my dear child!" The Great Lady's admiration was open and sincere. "Such a right feeling about things! She has certainly bolted with the chauffeur."
"Odo," said Mrs. Arbuthnot, triumphant, yet imperious, "why didn't you tell me all this?"
"Mon enfant," said I, in the mellowest tones of which I am master, "you gave me clearly to understand that the affairs of the Fitzwarens had no possible interest for you."
Mrs. Arbuthnot went to the length of biting her lip. By withholding such a sensational bit of news, I had been guilty of an unheard-of outrage upon human nature. But she could not deny my plea of justification.
"Nevil Fitzwaren is far luckier than he deserves to be," said the Great Lady. "It is a merciful dispensation that dear Evelyn did not actually call upon her. I feel sure she would have done, had I not implored her not to be hasty."
"But Mary, I was under the impression that you called upon her yourself."