Then she sprang up.
"Sit there!" She pointed to the foot of the sofa. Ashe obeyed her.
"When did you know?"
"About the ministry? Between six and seven. I saw Lady Parham afterwards driving in St. James's Street. She never enjoyed anything so much in her life as the bow she gave me.'"
Kitty groaned, and subsided again, a little crumpled form among her cushions.
"Tell me the names."
Ashe gave her the list of the ministry. She made one or two shrewd or bitter comments upon it. He fully understood that in her inmost mind she was registering a vow of vengeance against the Parhams; but she made no spoken threat. Meanwhile, in the background of each mind there lay that darker and more humiliating fact, to which both shrank from returning, while yet both knew that it must be faced.
There was a knock at the door, and Blanche appeared with the tray which had been ordered down-stairs. She glanced in astonishment at her mistress.
"We had an accident on the river last night, Blanche," said Kitty. "Come back in half an hour. I'm too tired to change just yet."
She kept her face hidden from the maid, but when Blanche had departed, Ashe saw that her cheeks were flaming.