"Oh, I've known her for years," he answered imperviously and impenitently.
George and I walked part of the way home together along Knightsbridge.
"It can't go on, you know," he exclaimed. "We had a frontal attack from Lady Dainton to-day. She called at 'The Sanctuary' on her way to Waterloo and was mildly surprised to find me in possession and very fairly staggered when I said Sonia was away and that I didn't know her address. Between us we managed to shut Deganway up to-night, but the story's being circulated by other people as well. I deny it, of course.... And I've seen Sonia with him three times in ten days."
I wondered whether she was trying to force his hand—and her husband's.
"Grayle's probably meeting the story, too," I said. "I wonder how he likes it."
"He must have been through this sort of thing so many times!" George sighed.
"But I doubt if he wants to be the hero of a cause célèbre at this moment," I suggested. "The political position is becoming very interesting."
A few days before I had found myself at a political meeting in the City. We were assembled to demand a "ton-for-ton" policy of compensation for the merchant shipping which was being sunk by German submarines, and my seat on the platform was next to Guy Bannerman's.
"Grayle couldn't come, so I'm representing him," he explained. "You may imagine his hands are pretty full at present."
"I can well imagine it," I said, "though I don't go out of my way to meet him nowadays." Guy looked at me enquiringly to see how much I knew. "The last time I was at Milford Square I was told that you'd moved into quarters of your own."