His face changed, grew lowering, and he thrust forward
his under jaw, opening his mouth to speak. Lady Holme did not give him
time.
"Yes, I sent Leo Ulford the latch-key," she said. "You needn't ask. I
sent it, and told him to come to-night. D'you know why?"
Lord Holme's face grew scarlet.
"Because you're a--"
She stopped him before he could say the irrevocable word.
"Because I mean to have the same liberty as the man I've married," she
said. "I asked Leo Ulford here, and I intended you should find him here."
"You didn't. You thought I wasn't comin' home."
"Why should I have thought such a thing?" she said, swiftly, sharply.
Her voice had an edge to it.
"You meant not to come home, then?"
She read his stupidity at a glance, the guilty mind that had blundered,
thinking its intention known when it was not known. He began to deny it,
but she stopped him. At this moment, and exactly when she ought surely to
have been crushed by the weight of Fritz's fury, she dominated him.
Afterwards she wondered at herself, but not now.
"You meant not to come home?"
For once Lord Holme showed a certain adroitness. Instead of replying to
his wife he retorted:
"You meant me to find Ulford here! That's a good 'un! Why, you tried all
you knew to keep him out."
"Yes."
"Well, then?"
"I wanted--but you'd never understand."
"He does," said Lord Holme.
He laughed again, got up and walked about the room, fingering his
bandages.
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