’So soon as that!  It’s funny Clarice never mentioned him to me.  You, of course, told her the date of Mr. Drake’s arrival.’

‘No, she found that out from an interview in the Meteor.’

‘I remember.’

‘You read it?’

‘Yes.  So you introduced him to Clarice?’

’No.  He did not come that night.  Conway brought him up to Mr. Le Mesurier’s box when Frou-Frou was being played a month ago.’

‘Never mind, we will talk of something else.’

Mrs. Willoughby had just observed Clarice.  She was nodding assent to the words of her neighbour, but plainly lending an attentive ear to Mrs. Willoughby’s conversation.  Mrs. Willoughby spoke of indifferent subjects until the ladies rose.

When Mallinson, however, entered the drawing-room, he perceived Mrs. Willoughby’s fan motioning him to attendance, and she took up the thread of her talk at the point where she had dropped it.

‘You said unfortunately.’

‘Well, you have read the Meteor.’

‘You endorse their view?’

‘From what I have seen of Drake since his return, yes.’

’But if there’s anything in their charges, why doesn’t the Colonial Office move?’

‘The Colonial Office!’ Mallinson shrugged his shoulders.  ’You forget only natives and Arabs were killed in the Boruwimi expedition, and they don’t count.  If he had killed a white man—­What’s the matter?’

‘Nothing,’ said Mrs. Willoughby, recovering from a start; ’an idea occurred to me, that’s all.’

‘Tell me.’

For a moment Mrs. Willoughby seemed at a loss.  Then she said, with a laugh: 

’If you will know, I was wondering whether your explanation covered all you meant by “unfortunately."’ She lowered her voice.  ’You can be frank with me.’

Mallinson was diverted by her assurance of sympathy, and launched out immediately into an elaborate history of the emotions which the friendliness of Miss Le Mesurier to Drake had set bubbling within him.  Mr. Le Mesurier approached the pair before Mallinson had finished, and the latter hurriedly broke off.

‘Well,’ said Mr. Le Mesurier, ’will you meet Mr. Drake, Constance, at lunch, say on Sunday?’

Mrs. Willoughby stared.

‘Do you mean that?’

‘Certainly.’  Mr. Le Mesurier was defiant.  Mrs. Willoughby’s stare changed to a look of thoughtfulness.

‘No,’ she said, ‘I don’t think I could.’  She moved away.  Mallinson followed her.

‘You know something about Drake,’ he exclaimed, ’something which would help me.’

‘That is hardly generous rivalry,’ she replied.

‘Does he deserve generosity?’ he asked, with a trace of cunning in his expression which Mrs. Willoughby found distasteful.

‘If I can help you,’ she answered evasively, ’help you honourably, I will,’ and she turned away.  Mallinson put out a hand to stop her.