"I went to some friends of yours, very great friends, I believe. I was companion to Lady Violet Berington."
She glanced doubtfully at him as she said this, as though she wondered whether the mention of the name would give him pain, but she was reassured by his face. There was no trace of anything in it but great interest in her story.
"I wonder how you found out that I knew them."
"I saw your photograph in Lady Violet's book."
"Yes, in the Riviera. I remember I was taken with her a great many times."
"And I thought—"
"What did you think?"
"You will laugh when I tell you! I thought you were Lord Kenmore."
"Kenmore, of all people on earth! Why did you think that?"
"I knew that Lady Violet was engaged to Lord Kenmore, and I thought that perhaps Kenmore was the missing word which we tried to read in the letter."