Could he have seen a letter that was brought to Spencer’s room before dinner, the telegram would not have been written. Mackenzie, rather incoherent with indignation, sent a hurried scrawl.
“Dear Mr. Spencer,” it ran,—“A devil of a thing has happened. To-day,” the date being three days old, “I went out to lunch, leaving a thick headed subeditor in charge. I had not been gone ten minutes when a stage fairy, all frills and flounces, whisked into the office and asked for Miss Wynton’s address. My assistant succumbed instantly. He was nearly asphyxiated with joy at being permitted to entertain, not unawares, that angel of musical comedy, Miss Millicent Jaques. His maundering excuse is that you yourself seemed to acknowledge Miss Jaques’s right to be acquainted with her friend’s whereabouts. I have good reason to believe that the frail youth not only spoke of Maloja, but supplied such details as were known to him of your kindness in the matter. I have cursed him extensively; but that can make no amends. At any rate, I feel that you should be told, and it only remains for me to express my lasting regret that the incident should have occurred.”
This letter, joined to certain lurid statements made by Stampa, had induced Spencer to accept Mrs. de la Vere’s invitation. Little as he cared to dine in Bower’s company, it was due to Helen that he should not refuse. He was entangled neck and heels in a net of his own contriving. For very shame’s sake, he could not wriggle out, leaving Helen in the toils.
Surely there never was a day more crammed with contrarieties. He witnessed his adversary’s rebuff, and put it down to its rightful cause. No sooner had he discovered Mrs. de la Vere’s apparent motive in keeping the girl by her side, than he was buttonholed by the Rev. Philip Hare.
“You know I am not an ardent admirer of Bower,” said the cleric; “but I must admit that it was very manly of him to make that outspoken statement about Miss Wynton.”
“What statement?” asked Spencer.
“Ah, I had forgotten. You were not present, of course. He made the other woman’s hysterical outburst supremely ridiculous by saying, in effect, that he meant to marry Miss Wynton.”
“He said that, eh?”
“Yes. He was quite emphatic. I rebuked Miss Jaques myself, and he thanked me.”