"How jolly of you to come and see me," he said impudently, as he took her hand. For some queer reason, he did not carry it to his lips, as had been his old custom. "I was greatly surprised to receive your telegram yesterday."
"Were you?" she murmured in a tone that might mean nothing or might mean everything. "Didn't you think it was time?"
"It is always time for you to telegraph me or write me or to come halfway across the continent to see me," he said promptly. "Is Philip with you?"
"Come inside," she said, and led the way into the tiny drawing-room of the coach. "Your things are coming soon, I hope. We have only half an hour here. Is there anything worth getting off for, or shall we just sit and talk?"
"We'll talk first. Please remember that I don't know yet what has brought you here. Where is Philip?"
"Oh, he didn't come with me," she said, motioning him to a seat as she took a chair herself. It was a part of her general harmoniousness that she always took a chair which was in the right light to show up her hair. He used to smile at the trait. It struck him now for the first time as somewhat trivial. And as he looked at her, it struck him for the first time that she was somewhat trivial as a whole. Rachel trivial? It gave him a shock that made his answer almost incoherent.
"Poor fellow!" he said mechanically. "Still unable to bear moving?"
"Philip is greatly improved," she said. She was sliding a jewelled bracelet up and down on her arm, and did not look at him. "In fact, he is so much better that he has run over to France, with the Armstrongs."
Burton looked at her in grave inquiry. "I am glad that he is better, but why didn't he come with you, instead of going across the water?"
"Oh, I didn't need him. And he knew that I should pick you up here."
"But surely it was due to Miss Underwood that he should come to her, if he were able to go anywhere. Nothing but his inability to travel justified my coming between them in this matter in the first place."
"My dear Hugh, I hope you haven't committed Philip in any way to that impossible girl!"
He stared at her in silence, absolutely speechless.
"Of course I know you were sent as envoy extraordinary and plenipotentiary," she said, with one of the sudden smiles which had so often disarmed his protests, "but that was because I was so sure I could trust everything to your discretion. And I know you haven't failed me! When you discovered that the Underwoods were the principals in a _cause celèbre_, surely that was enough!"