And she guessed his words instantly—but not his exact meaning.
"'I haven't a husband to tell me,' you were going to say. Why didn't you say it? It would have been no more than the truth."
"I was not thinking of Lorraine as the husband," he replied.
She gave a little gasp of surprise at its unexpectedness—a gasp that ended, however, in a smile and a shake of the ruddy head.
"Please give me a cigarette," she said, extending her hand.
He drew out his case and offered it to her.
"Is this all that I may give you now?" he asked.
"All!" she replied, passing a match across the tip. "All—now.... What is it, Tompkins?" as the butler appeared in the doorway and bowed.
"The telephone, madam!" monotoned Tompkins.