"Ah, there's Mr. Blood at last!" Dodo cried, all at once. "Now it will be more amusing!"
She waited tremulously the meeting of the two men—these two who should pay so dear to her what she had received in injustice.
Sassoon did not rise. He shot a searching angry glance at Doré, closed one hand tightly over the other and raised his eyebrows in interrogation at the newcomer.
"Quarter of three," said Blood, standing, and barely nodding to Sassoon. "I've been waiting fifteen minutes—that's quite enough. Miss Baxter, you belong to me now!"
"Oh, is it as late as that?"
"Is Mr. Blood here on your invitation, Miss Baxter?" said Sassoon deliberately.
"Yes. We had an engagement for a ride up the river. I'm afraid I've kept him waiting."
"Turn about is fair play," said Harrigan Blood aggressively.
The looks the two men exchanged said what their meaningless phrases concealed.
Ida Summers, not in the secret, yet scenting complications, remained watching, puzzled and a little apprehensive.