Mr. Frayling returned with his wife almost immediately. The latter had had her handkerchief in her hand all day, but she put it in her pocket now.
Major Colquhoun had to repeat his story.
"Did you look for her in the waiting rooms?" Mrs. Frayling asked.
"No."
"She may be there waiting for you at this very moment."
It was a practical suggestion.
"But the porter said he saw her get into a hansom," Major Colquhoun objected.
"He said he saw a young lady in gray get into a hansom, I understood you to say," Mrs. Frayling corrected him. "A young lady in gray is not necessarily Evadne. There might be a dozen young ladies in gray in such a crowd."
"There might, yes," Mr. Frayling agreed.
"And the proof that it was not Evadne is that she is not here," her mother proceeded. "If she had been seen getting into a hansom it could only have been to come here."