"Miss Harding, I believe?"
Long might he believe it! I waved him to a chair, and said suavely,
"Pray sit down."
"I--er--I called to ask if you would be kind enough to give me Miss
Wastneys' address. I believe her letters are sent to this address."
"May I ask who gave you that information?"
"I'm sorry; but I'm not at liberty to say. It was a discovery which has
given me considerable difficulty to make."
"Excuse me, Mr--er--" I stopped short with an admirable air of inquiry.
"My name is Maplestone."
"Thank you! I presume, Mr Maplestone, that you are aware of Miss
Wastneys' wish to keep her address private for the moment. Do you
consider yourself justified in acting in direct opposition to her
wishes?"
"I do," he said sturdily. "I warned her that I would do everything in
my power to find her. I am only sorry that I have been so long in doing
it."
"I am afraid she would not share your regret. In any case, I cannot
take the responsibility of helping you any further."
"You refuse to tell me where to find her?"
"I am sorry to appear discourteous, Mr Maplestone, but I have no
choice."
He looked at me, a cool, casual glance, and impatiently frowned. There
was no flicker of recognition in his look. To him I was obviously a
mere figure-head, an obstinate, elderly woman who stood as an obstacle
in his path. He hesitated for a moment, and then said emphatically:--
"My business is imperative. It is absolutely necessary to see Miss
Wastneys."
"I think she must decide this point."
"Madam!"--he glared at me reproachfully--"you are probably not aware
that I have asked Miss Wastneys to be my wife?"
"I was not aware, Mr Maplestone, that Miss Wastneys had accepted that
offer."
"She has not. That is just the point. If she had, I should not need
help. But she is going to! That is why I am so anxious to find her--to
prevent further waste of time."
Braced against my cushions, I gasped in mingled exasperation and dismay.
That tone of certainty impressed me against my will. It required an
effort to preserve an unruffled appearance.
"I cannot give you any help, Mr Maplestone. To the best of my belief,
you are wrong in your expectations."
"Evelyn--Miss Wastneys is your niece, I believe?"