Ida glanced up, and seeing him, started.
Arthur Hollis appeared a little uncomfortable, but after the first sharp glance, Eugene Mallard did not look at him, feeling that he could not trust himself to do so. He addressed his wife, looking at her with a dark frown on his face.
"Vivian told me you were here," he began. "Are you going to dance the next set?"
Her face flushed, her hands trembled. Was he, her husband, coming to ask her to dance with him? His next words showed her how mad she had been to cherish such a hope.
"I was going to ask Vivian to dance," he said. "I see there are three couples standing over there ready to dance. It will require one more couple to fill up the set."
With something like haughty pride, she raised her dark head.
"I shall not dance," said Ida, in a cold, bitter voice. "I am tired."
Arthur Hollis had the grace to laughingly excuse himself. He had been enjoying his tête-à-tête, and the sudden appearance of her husband on the scene was not welcome. Besides, he had noticed that there was something in Eugene Mallard's face which he did not like.
Arthur Hollis did not speak, and Eugene Mallard waited until he was well out of hearing. The silence lasted so long that Ida broke it by petulantly saying: