When Hope looked up, the silence had become unbearable. She saw Baring
standing quite motionless near the window by which he had entered. He
was not looking at her, and she felt suddenly, crushingly, that she had
become less than nothing in his sight, not so much as a thing, to be
ignored.
Hyde, quite calm and self-possessed, still stood close to her. But he
had turned his back upon her to face the intruder. And she felt herself
to be curiously apart from them both, almost like a spectator at a play.
It was Hyde who at last broke the silence when it had begun to torture
her nerves beyond endurance.
"Perhaps this _rencontre_ is not as unfortunate as it looks at first
sight," he remarked complacently. "It will save me the trouble of
seeking an interview with you to explain what you are now in a position
to see for yourself. I believe a second choice is considered a woman's
privilege. Miss Carteret, as you observe, has just availed herself of
this. And I am afraid that in consequence you will have to abdicate in
my favour."
Baring heard him out in complete silence. As Hyde ended, he moved
quietly forward into the room. Hope felt him drawing nearer, but she
could not face him. His very quietness was terrible to her, and she was
desperately conscious that she had no weapon of defence.
She had not thought that he would so much as notice her, but she was
wrong. He passed by Hyde without a glance, and reached her.
"What am I to understand?" he said.
She started violently at the sound of his voice. She knew that Hyde had
turned towards her again, but she looked at neither of them. She was
trembling so that she could scarcely stand. Her very lips felt cold, and
she could not utter a word.