to be no need of words. The moment was in
its way so wonderful that neither of them heard the opening of the door.
It was only the surprised exclamation of the man who had entered which
brought them back to a very sordid present.
CHAPTER VII
"I fear" the newcomer remarked, as he softly closed the door behind him,
"that I am an intruder. Perhaps, Josephine, I may be favoured with an
introduction to this gentleman? He is a stranger to me, so far as I
remember. An old friend of yours, I presume?"
He advanced a step or two farther into the room, a slim,
effeminate-looking person of barely medium height, dressed with the
utmost care, of apparently no more than middle age but with crow's-feet
about his eyes and sagging pockets of flesh underneath them. His closely
trimmed, sandy moustache was streaked with grey, his eyes were a little
bloodshot, he had the shrinking manner of one who suffers from habitual
nervousness. Josephine, after her first start of surprise, watched him
with coldly questioning eyes.
"I hope you have dined, Henry," she said. "A waiter rang up from
somewhere to say you would not be home."
"A message which I do not doubt left you inconsolable," he observed,
with a little curl of his lips. "Do not distress yourself, I pray. I have
dined at the club, and I have only come home to change. I am on my way to
a party. I would not have intruded if your maid had shown her usual
discretion."
Josephine ignored the insolent innuendo.
"You do not know my husband, I think, Mr. Wingate," she said,--"Mr. John
Wingate--Lord Dredlinton."
The newcomer's manner underwent a sudden change.
"What, John Wingate from New York?" he exclaimed.
Wingate assented briefly. Lord Dredlinton advanced at once with
outstretched hand. All the amiability which he could muster at a moment's
notice was diffused into his tone and manner.
"My dear sir," he said, "I am delighted to meet you. I have just been
dining with our mutual friend, Peter Phipps, and your name was the last
mentioned. I, in fact, accepted a commission to find you out and convey a
message from Phipps. There is a little matter in which you are both
indirectly interested which he wants to discuss."
Wingate had risen to his feet. By the side of the slighter man, his
height and appearance seemed almost imposing.
"To be quite frank with you, Lord Dredlinton," he said, as he returned
the newcomer's greeting without enthusiasm, "I cannot imagine an
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