Lady Carey sank into a vacant
chair by the side of the Duchess and talked for a few minutes to
the people whom she knew. Then she turned and whispered in the
Duchess's ear.
"Where is Lucille?"
The Duchess looked at her with a meaning smile.
"How should I know? She left when we did."
"Alone?"
"Yes. It was all understood, wasn't it?"
Lady Carey laughed unpleasantly.
"She has fooled us," she said. "Brott is here alone. Knows
nothing of her."
The Duchess was puzzled.
"Well, I know nothing more than you do," she answered. "Are you
sure the man is telling the truth?"
"Of course. He is the image of despair."
"I am sure she was in earnest," the Duchess said. "When I asked
her whether she should come on here she laughed a little nervously,
and said perhaps or something of that sort."
"The fool may have bungled it," Lady Carey said thoughtfully. "I
will go back to him. There's that idiot of a partner of mine. I
must go and pretend to have some supper."
Captain Horton found his vis-a-vis a somewhat unsatisfactory
companion. She drank several glasses of champagne, ate scarcely
anything, and rushed him away before he had taken the edge off his
appetite. He brought her to the Duchess and went back in a huff
to finish his supper alone. Lady Carey went downstairs and
discovered Mr.
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