Page:The Other House (London, William Heinemann, 1896), Volume 2.djvu/124

110 other. "You're sure she's not here?" Her surprise was fine.

Mrs. Beever's, however, had greater freedom. "How can she be, when Jean says you took her away?"

Rose Armiger stared; she threw back her head. "'Jean says?'" She looked round her. "Where is 'Jean'?"

"She's nowhere about—she's not in the house." Mrs. Beever challenged the two men, echoing the question as if it were indeed pertinent. "Where is the girl?"

"She has gone to Bounds," said Tony. "She's not in my garden?"

"She wasn't five minutes ago—I've just come out of it."

"Then what took you there?" asked Mrs. Beever.

"Mr. Vidal." Rose smiled at Tony: "You know what!" She turned again to Mrs. Beever, looking her full in the face. "I've seen him. I went over with him."

"Leaving Effie with Jean—precisely," said Tony, in his arranging way.

"She came out—she begged so hard," Rose explained to Mrs. Beever. "So I gave in."