Mrs. Porter made no reply. Her mouth was wide open and she was gazing with starting eyeballs at Mr. Catesby.
"Joe!" she said, in a hoarse whisper. "Joe!"
Mr. Catesby gazed at her in chilling silence. Miss Truefitt, with an air of great surprise, glanced from one to the other.
"Joe!" said Mrs. Porter again. "Ain't you goin' to speak to me?"
Mr. Catesby continued to gaze at her in speechless astonishment. She skipped clumsily round the table and stood before him with her hands clasped.
"Where 'ave you been all this long time?" she demanded, in a higher key.
"You—you've made a mistake," said the bewildered Richard.
"Mistake?" wailed Mrs. Porter. "Mistake! Oh, where's your 'art?"
Before he could get out of her way she flung her arms round the horrified young man's neck and em-braced him copiously. Over her bony left shoulder the frantic Richard met the ecstatic gaze of Miss Truefitt, and, in a flash, he realised the trap into which he had fallen.
"Mrs. Porter!" said Prudence.