But the telephone seemed only to create other difficulties. The group at the table were quite at a loss to know what could have brought such an extraordinary sharpness into Mrs. Baron’s voice. She was soon grasping the receiver angrily, and they heard her saying, with uncomfortable intervals between her words and phrases: “To-night? Bonnie May? Mr. Baron? Why should he do anything of the kind? No, I don’t understand at all. No....” She turned around in quick displeasure. “Victor,” she appealed, “will you see what they want?”
And Baron hurried to the phone and took up the broken conversation.
“Oh, Mrs. Thornburg!” he began. Then, after a pause, “Yes, that was the understanding. There wasn’t any definite time set—” A pause. “Yes, I know he is. I’m going out there, too.” Another pause, and then, “Well, I suppose it might be managed. I’ll ask her. I promised—we both agreed—that she should do as she pleased——”
He turned back to the table with a brave attempt at briskness. But the inquiring glances bent upon him were disconcerting.
Mrs. Baron went and unceremoniously hung up the receiver. She had, it seemed, understood quite accurately what the person at the other end of the phone had been saying.
“It’s an invitation for Bonnie May,” said Baron, trying to shake off the feeling that he was a guilty wretch. “Mrs. Thornburg particularly wishes her to come over this evening, because she’s to be alone.”
“Well!” was Mrs. Baron’s comment. “Why should she go over there, I’d like to know?”
Baron hesitated. “The fact is, I entered into a sort of compact with Thornburg——”
“Yes, I gathered something of the kind,” said Mrs. Baron angrily. “I suppose I have nothing to say, one way or another.”
“It was when you were still of the belief that Bonnie May couldn’t be—quite comfortable with us, and Thornburg.... I don’t think I was wholly unjustified in what I promised. You remember you said that as soon as she could be got ready—” He was floundering painfully now, with the eyes of everybody in the room turned upon him accusingly. “Mrs. Thornburg says she has a room ready, specially fitted up for her, and she only asks that she may spend the night——”