Leo stopped too, and they
stood for a moment staring at each other. Lady Holme, who was still by
the open window, did not move. There was complete silence in the room.
Then Leo dropped the latch-key. It fell on the thick carpet without a
noise. He made a hasty, lumbering movement to pick it up, but Lord Holme
was too quick for him. When Lady Holme saw the key in her husband's hand
she moved at last and came forward into the middle of the room.
"Mr. Ulford's come to tell me about the Blaxtons' dance," she said.
She spoke in her usual light voice, without tremor or uncertainty. Her
face was perfectly calm and smiling. Leo Ulford cleared his throat.
"Yes," he said loudly, "about the Blaxtons' dance."
Lord Holme stood looking at the latch-key. Suddenly his face swelled up
and became bloated, and large veins stood out in his brown forehead.
"What's this key?" he said.
He held it out towards his wife. Neither she nor Leo Ulford replied to
his question.
"What's this key?" he repeated.
"The key of Mr. Ulford's house, I suppose," said Lady Holme. "How should
I know?"
"I'm not askin' you," said her husband.
He came a step nearer to Leo.
"Why the devil don't you answer?" he said to him.
"It's my latch-key," said Leo, with an attempt at a laugh.
Lord Holme flung it in his face.
"You damned liar!" he said. "It's mine."
And he struck him full in the face where the key had just struck him.
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