"I did not." She got the words out.
"You are lying. You did, you paid spy. Now listen to me. If you dare to say one word of this to any living soul I'll——"
The door suddenly opened, and Lady Francis hurried in.
"Sorry to keep you, my dear," said the high, unmodulated voice. "Old Carr was such a time. What! You here, Francis? I thought you had gone out."
"I have been doing my best to entertain Lady Mary till you appeared," he said.
"I came to say I'm engaged this afternoon," said Mary. "I can't go with you to your concert."
The footman appeared with another telegram.
Lord Francis opened it before it could reach his wife, and then tossed it to her.
"For you," he said, and left the room.
"Well, my dear," said Lady Francis, "in this you say you will come, and now you say you won't, or am I reading it wrong? I don't understand."