'I don't know, Edith, what it is you're driving at, nor do I as yet at all understand how, or why, Mrs. Merrett associates Douglas with her husband.'
'Nor I. But here comes Douglas to answer for himself.'
As she said it the room door opened, and in came a gentleman. He was very tall, and his brown hair, which was curly, was just turning grey; as, likewise, was his big moustache, which turned up at the ends. His good looks were not what I had expected: and his sweet smile reminded me of the lady who had been asking me questions. Somehow he looked worried--downright ill, indeed; and he had a queer way of starting at nothing, and looking about him, as if he saw and heard something which you didn't, which would soon have got upon my nerves.
'Douglas,' said the young lady, 'here is some one who wishes to ask you a question.'
She spoke as if she was sure he'd find the question an amusing one. But as soon as I set eyes upon him I knew better. Although he smiled at the two ladies as he came in, all the while he was glancing at me in a fidgety sort of way as if he resented my intruding.
'Indeed!' he said. 'And who may this lady be?'
'You had better ask her. She will be able to tell you better than I can. I am so stupid that I'm quite unable to understand.'
When he came in, the lady, who had been asking me questions, had moved a little to one side. I stood up and faced him. Although he was so big and tall, and quite the great gentleman, somehow I was not half so afraid as I had expected to be. I gave him look for look.
'That, sir, is for you to say.' The young lady put in a word.
'I don't think, Douglas, that any privacy is necessary. Mrs. Merrett merely wishes to ask you a plain and simple question.'
'Merrett? Merrett? Are you Mrs. Merrett?'
'I am, sir. And I'm the wife of Mr. Montagu Babbacombe.'
Just what Mr. FitzHoward had spoken of happened again. He sort of reeled; and a look came on to his face which was shocking. I never saw a man so changed all of a sudden. I thought he was going to have a fit. The two ladies were every bit as much surprised as I was. The younger one went hurrying to him.
'Douglas, what ever is the matter?' He seemed to have a difficulty in speaking, as though his breath was short.