A sickly smile crossed Lionel's lips. Mrs. Massingbird! Was it already known? "Why," he asked, "did you call her Mrs. Massingbird?"
"I beg your pardon for my inadvertence, Mr. Verner," was the reply of Dr. Cannonby. "Lawrence knew her as Mrs. Massingbird, and on his return from Australia he frequently spoke of her to me as Mrs. Massingbird, so that I got into the habit of thinking of her as such. It was not until he went to Paris that he heard she had exchanged the name for that of Verner."
A thought crossed Lionel that this was the news which had taken Captain Cannonby down to him. He might know of the existence of Frederick Massingbird, and had gone to break the news to him, Lionel; to tell him that his wife was not his wife.
"You do not know precisely what his business was with me?" he inquired, quite wistfully.
"No, I don't. I don't know that it was much beyond the pleasure of seeing you and Mrs. Verner."
Lionel rose. "If I—"
"But you will stay and dine with me, Mr. Verner?"
"Thank you, I am going back at once. I wished to be home this evening if possible, and there's nothing to hinder it now."
"A letter or two has come for Lawrence since the morning," observed the doctor, as he shook hands. "Will you take charge of them for him?"
"With pleasure."