HUSBAND AND LOVER
At eight o'clock in the morning, when the warm sun beat upon the sea and flooded the rooms of the villa, Stainton, still clad in his travelling clothes, returned to the drawing-room and rang the bell for the maid.
"Go to Mrs. Stainton's room," he said to the maid, who spoke more or less English, "and tell her that, as soon as she is ready to see me, I——"
"But, monsieur——"
"You may add that I won't keep her fifteen minutes."
"But, monsieur, it is since an hour madame is gone out."
"Gone out?" Why had she gone so early and so silently? Had she not tried to conceal her exit, he would have heard her. The natural suspicion flashed through Stainton's mind. "Why didn't you tell me this before?"
"Madame say you are not to be disturbed."
"Hum. I see. Did she leave any message?"
"But, yes; she leave this note here. She say the note to be given to monsieur only when monsieur demanded her whereabout."