"What the devil do you mean?" he cried.
"I might ask, in my turn," she said, "what have I done to provoke an outbreak of temper? I only made a remark."
At that critical moment, Fanny Mere entered the room with a telegram in her hand.
"For you, my lady."
Iris opened the telegram. The message was signed by Mrs. Vimpany, and was expressed in these words: "You may feel it your duty to go to your father. He is dangerously ill."
Lord Harry saw a sudden change in his wife's face that roused his guilty suspicions. "Is it anything about me?" he asked.
Iris handed the telegram to him in silence. Having looked at it, he desired to hear what her wishes were.
"The telegram expresses my wishes," she said. "Have you any objection to my leaving you?"
"None whatever," he answered eagerly. "Go, by all means."
If it had still been possible for her to hesitate, that reply would have put an end to all further doubt. She turned away to leave the room. He followed her to the door.