And then she repeated, “Poor—” and stopped. Again the faint cloud of fear was in her eyes.
CHAPTER XV
THE Charity Concert was to be given in Manchester House, one of the private palaces of London, and as Royalty had promised to be present, all the tickets were quickly sold. Among those who bought them were most of the guests who had been present at the Holmes’ dinner-party when Lady Holme lost her temper and was consoled by Robin Pierce. Robin of course was in Rome, but Lady Cardington, Lady Manby, Mrs. Wolfstein, Sir Donald, Mr. Bry took seats. Rupert Carey also bought a ticket. He was not invited to great houses any more, but on this public occasion no one with a guinea to spend was unwelcome. To Lady Holme’s surprise the day before the concert Fritz informed her that he was going too.
“You, Fritz!” she exclaimed. “But it’s in the afternoon.”
“What o’ that?”
“You’ll be bored to death. You’ll go to sleep. Probably you’ll snore.”
“Not I.”
He straddled his legs and looked attentively at the toes of his boots. Lady Holme wondered why he was going. Had Miss Schley made a point of it? She longed to know. The cruel curiosity which the angel was ever trying to beat down rose up in her powerfully.
“I say—”