"She couldn't help seeing me," Yolande repeated.
2
Three days later I myself met Mrs. O'Rane in Hyde Park. Remembering Yolande's experience, I determined that she should not cut me and, as we had no opportunity of pretending not to have seen each other, I blocked her path, bowed and held out my hand to her.
"I've not seen you for weeks," she said with a composed smile. "You've not been to America again, have you?"
"I've been kept very busy at the House and in my department," I answered. "Have you been away?"
"For week-ends and things." She glanced collectedly round to assure herself that she was not being overheard. "Why did you button-hole me like this, Mr. Stornaway?"
I suppose my real reason was that, if there had to be any cutting, it should not be by her; and I had not made up my mind how to act when we found ourselves suddenly confronting each other at the park gate.
"When a man meets a woman he knows——" I began.
Mrs. O'Rane laughed with soft, repellent scorn.
"As if you didn't know everything."