"That must be it," said Mrs. Davenant, hopefully. "He will come in directly, making a most tremendous noise, and raging against whatever has been keeping him. Jack's rages are dreadful while they last--they don't last long!"
Stephen entered--so noiselessly that she almost started--and stooped over his mother.
"There are some things in the breakfast room I brought from London, will you go and see to them?"
"Una, dear," she said, "see to the tea, I will be back directly."
Una nodded, and sat down at the gypsy table. Stephen stood beside the fire, one white hand stretched out to the blaze, his face turned toward her, his eyes watching her under their lowered lids. His heart beat nervously, the task before him seemed to overmaster him, and he shrank from it; with one hand he felt Jack's letter, lying like an asp in his breast coat pocket.
"There is a cold wind tonight," he said absently. "Jack said the wind had gone round this morning."
"Jack," said Una, raising her eyes, with a sudden flame of color in her face. "Have you seen him? You have been to Earl's Court?"
Stephen frowned as if angry at making a slip.
"No--no," he said with gentle hesitation. "No; I saw him in London. He is not at Earl's Court."
"Not at Earl's Court!" said Una, with surprise. "How is that? Oh, he is not ill?"
Stephen turned to the fire, with knitted brow and compressed lip, and fidgeted with the poker.
"No," he replied, slowly, and as if uncertain what to say--"he is not ill."
Stephen remained silent; and still keeping her eyes fixed on his pale face, she rose and glided to his side.
"You have something to tell me," she said, laying her hand on his arm, and speaking in a low, panting voice. "What is it? You will tell me, will you not? Has anything happened to Lady Bell? Is she at Earl's Court?"
"Yes, she is at Earl's Court," he said, almost bitterly, "and she is quite well, I believe."
"Then," said Una, in a low voice, which she tried vainly to keep steady--"then it is something concerning Jack. Oh, why do you keep me in suspense?"
"I will tell you that he is quite well," he said, almost sharply. "I left him in perfect health. I dined with him, and he made an excellent dinner."
"You are angry with him! What has he done to make you angry?" she asked.