“His friend is a lady,” said Julia.
Regina’s heart gave a sick throb, her eyes followed the direction of Julia’s gaze, and the next instant she beheld her noble Alfred sitting with his elbow on the table talking earnestly to a young and pretty woman.
“Don’t faint, darling,” said Julia in a soft undertone.
“I’m not in the least likely to faint,” said Regina, with superb dignity. “Doubtless your father will give a perfectly simple explanation of his being here with a lady. Thank you, Harry, I will have a little more champagne.”
Oh, she was a plucky woman, Regina Whittaker! It was not in her nature to show the white feather! Her suspicions had crystallized themselves into human form. There was the hussy who had haunted her for months past, there she was in the flesh! “And I must say,” said Regina to her own heart, “that Alfred does not look as if he were enjoying himself.”
CHAPTER XXIX
WARY AND PATIENT
As a rule, especially in the greater issues of life, little or nothing is to be gained by precipitancy.