But Virginia had already finished. There was a brief pause.
“The money, Mrs. Landray, you have it in your hand,” said Wade, grimly insistent that the farce should be played out; and obedient to his prompting, Virginia took a forward step and extended the bundle of notes.
Benson raised his head and looked at her. Then he said in the same low voice in which he had before spoken.
“I don't know what you mean, Virginia. No, the sale of the land will have to stand;” and he turned imperturbably to Dr. Ward.
“He has answered you, Mrs. Landray. We will go,” said Wade quietly; and they moved back through the outer office, past the astonished Gibbs, and past Miss Murphy. It was only when they reached the head of the flight of steps that Virginia spoke.
“I forgot nothing? I said all that was necessary for me to say?” she asked.
He realized that she would have been ready to return if this had been needful.
“Indeed you did!” he chuckled.
But as they went down-stairs her gloved hand rested quite unconsciously on his arm, and he noted how it shook, and divined that the ordeal through which she had just passed had been perhaps greater than he had at first supposed. When they reached the street, she turned to him and said:
“You need not go back to the house with me. I really think I prefer to go alone—only tell the man to drive fast, please.”