on in her mind, but something is … She's the kind that doesn't let anyone know what they're thinking.'
'It's a pity,' said Nevile, 'that there aren't more people like that.'
Kay's face went very white.
'Do you mean that for me?' There was a dangerous edge to her voice.
'Well — you haven't shown much reticence, have you? Every bit of ill-temper and spite that comes into your mind you blurt straight out. You make a fool of yourself and you make a fool of me!'
'Anything more to say?' Her voice was icy.
He said in an equally cold tone: 'I'm sorry if you think that was unfair. But it's the plain truth. You've no more self-control than a child.'
'You never lose your temper, do you? Always the self-controlled, charming-mannered little pukka sahib! I don't believe you've got any feelings. You're just a fish — a damned cold-blooded fish! Why don't you let yourself go now and then? Why don't you shout at me, swear at me, tell me to go to Hell?'
Nevile sighed. His shoulders sagged.
'Oh, Lord,' he said.
Turning on his heel he left the room.
III
'You look exactly as you did at seventeen, Thomas Royde,' said Lady Tressilian. 'Just the same owlish look. And no more conversation now than you had then. Why not?'
Thomas said vaguely: 'I dunno. Never had the gift of the gab.'
'Not like Adrian . Adrian was a very clever and witty talker.'
'Perhaps that's why. Always left the talking to him.'
'Poor Adrian . So much promise.' Thomas nodded.
Lady Tressilian changed the subject. She was granting an audience to Thomas. She usually preferred her visitors one at a time. It did not tire her and she was able to concentrate her attention on them.
'You've been here twenty-four hours,' she said. 'What do you think of our Situation?'
'Situation?'
'Don't look stupid. You do that deliberately. You know quite well what I mean. The eternal triangle which has established itself under my roof.'
Thomas said cautiously: 'Seems a bit of friction.' Lady Tressilian smiled rather diabolically.
'I will confess to you, Thomas, I am rather enjoying myself. This came about through no wish of mine — indeed, I did my utmost to prevent it. Nevile was obstinate. He would insist on bringing these two together — and now he is reaping what he has sown!'
Thomas Royde shifted a little in his chair.
'Seems funny,' he said.
'Elucidate,' snapped Lady Tressilian.
'Shouldn't have thought Strange was that kind of chap.'
'It's interesting your saying that. Because it is what I felt. It was uncharacteristic of Nevile. Nevile, like most men, is usually anxious to avoid any kind of embarrassment or possible unpleasantness. I suspected that it wasn't originally Nevile's idea — but, if not, I don't see whose idea it can have been.' She paused and said with only the slightest upward inflexion: 'It wouldn't be Audrey's?'
Thomas said promptly: 'No, not Audrey's.'
'And I can hardly believe it was that unfortunate young woman, Kay's, idea. Not unless she is a really remarkable actress. You know, I have almost felt sorry for her lately.'
'You don't like her much, do you?'
'No. She seems to me empty-headed and lacking in any kind of poise. But, as I say, I do begin to feel sorry for her. She is blundering about like a daddy-longlegs in lamp-light. She has no idea of what weapons to use. Bad temper, bad manners, childish rudeness — all things which have a most unfortunate-effect upon a man like Nevile.'
Thomas said quietly: 'I think Audrey is the one who is in a difficult position.'
Lady Tressilian gave him a sharp glance.
'You've always been in love with Audrey, haven't you, Thomas?'
His reply was quite imperturbable. 'Suppose I have.'
'Practically from the time you were children together?'
He nodded.
'And then Nevile came along and carried her off from under your nose?'
He moved uneasily in his chair.
'Oh, well — I always knew I hadn't a chance.'
'Defeatist,' said Lady Tressilian.
'I always have been a dull dog.'
'Dobbin!'
'Good old Thomas! — that's what Audrey feels about me.'
'‘True Thomas,'' said Lady Tressilian. 'That was your nickname, wasn't it?'
He smiled as the words brought back memories of childish days. 'Funny! I haven't heard that for years.'
'It might stand you in good stead now,' said Lady Tressilian. She met his glance clearly and deliberately.
'Fidelity,' she said, 'is a quality that anyone who has been through Audrey's experience might appreciate. The dog-like devotion of a lifetime, Thomas, does sometimes get its reward.'
Thomas Royde looked down, his fingers fumbled with a pipe.
'That,' he said, 'is what I came home hoping.'
IV
'So here we all are,' said Mary Aldin.
Hurstall, the old butler, wiped his forehead. When he went into the kitchen, Mrs. Spicer, the cook, remarked upon his expression.
'I don't think I can be well, and that's the truth,' said Hurstall. 'If I can so express myself, everything that's said and done in this house lately seems to me to mean something that's different from what it sounds like — if you know what I mean.'
Mrs. Spicer did not seem to know what he meant, so Hurstall went on: 'Miss Aldin, now, as they all sat down to dinner — she says 'So here we all are' — and just that gave me a turn! Made me think of a trainer who's got a lot of wild animals into a cage, and then the cage door shuts. I felt, all of a sudden, as though we were all caught in a trap.'
'Lor', Mr. Hurstall,' said Mrs. Spicer, 'you must have eaten something that's disagreed.'
'It's not my digestion. It's the way everyone's strung up. The front door banged just now and Mrs. Strange — our Mrs. Strange, Miss Audrey — she jumped as though she had been shot. And there's the silences, too. Very queer they are. It's as though, all of a sudden, everybody's afraid to speak. And then they all break out at once, just saying the things that first come into their heads.'
'Enough to make anyone embarrassed,' said Mrs. Spicer. 'Two Mrs. Stranges in the house. What I feel is, it isn't decent.'
