"Ah! But were there not consolations?"
"What do you mean?"
"You and Miss Holland living by yourselves in this house—is it that you need apologise for?"
"Miss Holland never spent a single night under this roof," said Blacklock quietly.
"Not—not a night," stammered von Belke. "Then where——?"
"She stayed at a house in the neighbourhood."
The lieutenant seemed incapable of comment, and Captain Phipps observed genially,
"There seem to have been some rum goings-on behind your back, Mr Belke!"
Von Belke seemed to be realising this fact himself, and resenting it.
"You seem to have amused yourself very much by deceiving me," he remarked.