Page:The Other House (London, William Heinemann, 1896), Volume 1.djvu/164

150 "I've an impression she'll change her dress first. That may take her a little time."

"Then I'm free to sit with you ten minutes?"

"As long as you like, dear Mr. Vidal. It's for you to choose whether you'll avoid her."

"I dislike dodging—I dislike hiding," Dennis returned; "but I daresay that if I had known where she was I wouldn't have come."

"I feel hatefully rude but you took a leap in the dark. The absurd part of it," Mrs. Beever went on, "is that you've stumbled on her very first visit to me."

The young man showed a surprise which gave her the measure of his need of illumination. "For these four years?"

"For these four years. It's the only time she has been at Eastmead."

Dennis hesitated. "And how often has she been at the other house?"

Mrs. Beever smiled. "Not even once." Then as her smile broadened to a small, dry laugh, "I can quite say that for her!" she declared.

Dennis looked at her hard. "To your certain knowledge?"