"How's Mrs. Lonsdale?"
"Quite well, thank you," I replied.
"Is she up with you?"
"No."
"Coming up soon, I suppose?"
"I don't know."
My friend looked at me once or twice, and then after a few vacuous remarks went away.
I knew that in a few hours it would be all over the club that I and Viola no longer hit it off together, that in fact we were living apart, and by the evening a decree nisi would have been pronounced for us. But I didn't care what they said. Nothing mattered. No one could hurt me more than I was hurt already. The worst had happened.
As I sat there I saw Lawton, who also belonged to the club, cross the end of the dining-room. He, too, would come up and speak to me if he caught sight of me.
I felt I did not wish to speak to the man who had always loved Viola, who had always envied me her possession, and to whom once I had nearly lost her.