'Oh! Daisy?' Mrs Griffith had understood at once why Miss Reed came, but she was rather at a loss for an answer.... 'Yes, we have had a letter from her. She's up in London.'
'Yes, I knew that,' said Miss Reed. 'George Browning saw them get into the London train, you know.'
Mrs Griffith saw it was no good fencing, but an idea occurred to her.
'Yes, of course her father and I are very distressed about—her eloping like that.'
'I can quite understand that,' said Miss Reed.
'But it was on account of his family. He didn't want anyone to know about it till he was married.'
'Oh!' said Miss Reed, raising her eyebrows very high.
'Yes,' said Mrs Griffith, 'that's what she said in her letter; they were married on Saturday at a registry office.'
'But, Mrs Griffith, I'm afraid she's been deceiving you. It's Captain Hogan.... and he's a married man.'
She could have laughed outright at the look of dismay on Mrs Griffith's face. The blow was sudden, and notwithstanding all her power of self-control, Mrs Griffith could not help herself. But at once she recovered, an angry flush appeared on her cheek bones.