"Of course I do," she said, putting away her handkerchief. "I'm not quite a fool!"
And indeed, none of her friends or acquaintances had ever made that accusation against Lilian Cromarty.
"Well, that's all," said Ned, and began to move across the room.
But now the instinct for finding a scapegoat began to revive.
"Who did you tell it to, Ned?" she asked.
"Simon Rattar."
"Then he has spread this dreadful story!" she exclaimed with righteous indignation.
Her brother stopped and slowly turned back.
"By heaven, I've scarcely had time to think it all out yet—but it looks like it!"
"It must be that nasty grumpy old creature! If you told nobody else—well, it can't be anybody else!"