Wasn't."

Miss Mapp naturally could not demean herself to take any notice of this.

"Your deal, is it, Major Benjy?" she asked. "Me to cut?"

Diva had remembered just after her sharp speech to her partner that Mr.
Wyse was present, and looked towards the sofa to see if there were any
indications of pained surprise on his face which might indicate that he
had heard. But what she saw there--or, to be more accurate, what she
failed to see there--forced her to give an exclamation which caused Miss
Mapp to look round in the direction where Diva's bulging eyes were
glued.... There was no doubt whatever about it: Mrs. Poppit and Mr. Wyse
were no longer there. Unless they were under the sofa they had certainly
left the room together and altogether. Had she gone to put on her sable
coat on this hot night? Was Mr. Wyse staggering under its weight as he
fitted her into it? Miss Mapp rejected the supposition; they had gone to
another room to converse more privately. This looked very black indeed,
and she noted the time on the clock in order to ascertain, when they
came back, how long they had been absent.

The rubber went on its wild way, relieved from the restraining influence
of Mr. Wyse, and when, thirty-nine minutes afterwards, it came to its
conclusion and neither the hostess nor Mr. Wyse had returned, Miss Mapp
was content to let Diva muddle herself madly, adding up the score with
the assistance of her fingers, and went across to the other table till
she should be called back to check her partner's figures. They would be
certain to need checking.

"Has Mr. Wyse gone away already, dear Isabel?" she said. "How early!"

("And four makes nine," muttered Diva, getting to her little finger.)

Isabel was dummy, and had time for conversation.

"I think he has only gone with Mamma into the conservatory," she
said--"no more diamonds, partner?--to advise her about the orchids."

Now the conservatory was what Miss Mapp considered a potting-shed with a
glass roof, and the orchids were one anaemic odontoglossum, and there
would scarcely be room besides that for Mrs. Poppit and Mr. Wyse. The
potting-shed was visible from the drawing-room window, over which
curtains were drawn.

"Such a lovely night," said Miss Mapp. "And while Diva is checking the
score may I have a peep at the stars, dear? So fond of the sweet stars."

She glided to the window (conscious that Diva was longing to glide too,
but was preparing to quarrel with the