Suppose Mr Moffatt were at the hotel with his wife! Then there would be two to one, and once the outer veneer was broken through, there was no saying to what extremes of abuse, of threatening, even of violence itself, they might descend. Cornelia recalled the two faces; the woman’s hard, sullen, coarse; the man’s mean and crafty, and shuddered at the prospect.
All at once the thought of Guest occurred, to bring with it a wave of relief. Guest had begged her to summon him if at any time he should be needed; now the need had arisen, and he should help her through.
She hastily selected a pearl bangle and laid it on one side on the counter.
“I will decide on that! Let your man bring it round at five o’clock, and ask to see me personally. He can bring a bill made out for all I owe, and I’ll settle at once. And, Mr Marchant, I want to use your telephone! Can you ring and have me switched on to the Army and Navy Club?”
While the preliminary operations were going on at the telephone, Cornelia racked her brain to think of a suitable rendezvous, and failing a better suggestion, decided on a tea-shop exactly across the road. To her immense relief, Guest was found at his club, and announced that he would be with her in ten minutes’ time, so that there was nothing to do but to dismiss the hansom, and secure a table in a quiet corner.
The time seemed long, but in reality it was less than ten minutes before Guest seated himself by her side. He looked grave and stern; preoccupied almost to the point of discourtesy, for the ordinary greetings were exchanged for a succession of short, eager questions.
“Where have you been all the morning? Have you been back to the hotel? Did you get my message?”
“I did not! I’ve been out since about half-past nine. What was the message about? Anything important?”
“Tell me first what you wanted me for just now.”
Cornelia paused for a moment and her lips trembled. She clasped her hands together and leant across the little table, staring earnestly into his eyes.