“So Lord Averil told me,” answered Charlotte. “He dined at the Folly yesterday.”
“Did he? George did not mention that Lord Averil was of the party. Did you dine with them?”
“Not I,” answered Charlotte. “It was bore enough to have them in the drawing-room afterwards. Only a few of them came in. As to your husband, I never set eyes upon him at all.”
“He came home early. I think his head ached. He——”
“Oh, he did come home, then!” interrupted Charlotte.
Maria looked surprised. “Of course he came home. Why should he not?”
“How should I know why?” was Charlotte’s answer. “This house has the bother of it to-night, I hear. It is nothing but a bother, a gentleman’s dinner-party!”
“It is a sort of business party to-night, I believe,” observed Maria.
“Verrall is coming. He told me so. Do you know how Mr. Godolphin is?”
“He seems as well as usual. He has come to-day, and I saw him for a minute. George told me that he did not appear at dinner yesterday. Margery——”