‘Is that any reason why you should be frightened at him?’
She nodded her head with considerable emphasis. But at this juncture Lady Renshaw was seen approaching, and Clarice fled.
‘Can you favour me with a few minutes’ private conversation, Mr Etheridge?’ said her ladyship.
‘Willingly, madam. Shall we take a stroll on the lawn, as we did before? There seems to be no one about.’
‘That will do very nicely. I will just fetch my sunshade and then join you.’ Which she accordingly did. ‘You may recollect, Mr Etheridge, that one portion of our conversation this morning had reference to Madame De Vigne?’ began her ladyship in her most confidential manner.
‘I have not forgotten, madam.’
‘Since that time I have made a most surprising discovery—a discovery I feel bound to say which only tends to confirm the opinion I then ventured to express. Will you be good enough, my dear sir, to look at this, and then tell me what you think?’
She opened the book at the page where she had inserted the scrap of paper, and placed it in his hands.
He stopped in his walk while he read it; but his face was inscrutable, and Lady Renshaw could gather nothing from it. Presently he lifted his eyes from the paper and stared at her for a moment or two, his bushy eyebrows meeting across the deep furrow in his forehead.
‘Where did you obtain this from, may I ask? And what is the meaning of it?’