When Jimmy arrived Sangster glanced at him anxiously. He was very pale; his eyes looked defiant; there was a hard fold to his lips.
"Hallo!" he said laconically; he sat down opposite to Sangster. "I don't want any lunch; you fire away."
He seemed to avoid Sangster's eyes; there was a little awkward silence.
"How's the wife?" Sangster asked nervously.
Jimmy laughed mirthlessly.
"She's left me; she says she'll never live with me again."
"Left you!"
"Yes. . . . Oh, don't look so scandalised, man! I saw her off from Euston myself; it was all outwardly quite a friendly arrangement. She's gone down to Upton House; she's going to have a friend of hers to stay with her for a time—a Miss Leighton——" He paused, and went on heavily: "Of course, you've heard about—about——"
"Yes——"
"Well—well, they sent for me. It was too late! She—she was dead when I got there; but Christine found out somehow—I don't know how. I give you my word of honour I meant to have told her; but—she wouldn't believe anything I said. . . . We—we had a row last night; I dare say it was my fault. I was upset, of course——"