"Yes," she said. "I'll come."
"In your auto runabout--on the Fenton road to Tippecanoe--at two this
afternoon. Will that do?"
"Yes. I'll be there. Good-by." And she rang off.
She turned from the telephone with a glance at Richard. He was busy with
the blowpipe--no doubt had not even heard. As she was leaving to go up
to the house for dinner, she said to him: "I'll not be back this
afternoon."
"All right," replied he. "I sha'n't need you till to-morrow morning."
"I'll be here, then, of course."
He turned on the high stool. "You know," said he, with only the
faintest suggestion of the unusual in face and voice, "there's no reason
why you shouldn't see anyone you wish, at your own house."
She flushed guiltily. But her composure instantly returned, and she
went on toward the door, casting about for a reply.
"I've no desire to interfere," continued he. "But--Jimmie went to
Fenton on an errand yesterday, and he happened to tell me he saw at a
distance a man who looked enough like Gallatin to be his twin. If you
should be seen--you know how they gossip here. You could send the boy
and Helen over to Wenona for the afternoon. Pardon my suggesting these
things. It occurred to me you might not realize how closely you're
watched by everybody, since the divorce."
She stood in the outer doorway, trying to conceal her agitation and
trying to reflect.
"I appreciate you'd rather see him elsewhere--and I'd prefer you did,
too. But your son has his rights--don't you think?"
"Yes," said Courtney. "I'll see him at the house."
"Thank you," said Richard. And he resumed his careful mixing of two
powders in a small brass mortar.
She went, returned, stood where she could see his profile. "You give me
your word of honor you'll not interfere with him in any way?"
Dick smiled without suspending work with the pestle. "Certainly," said
he. "On my honor I'll not leave this room until you telephone me that I
may." His smile broadened into a laugh that made her extremely
uncomfortable, though it was pleasant enough.
"I didn't think you cared about me or him--or anything but your
chemistry," she said in self-defense. "I asked simply as a precaution.
I felt I owed it to him and to the boy."
"I laughed--you'll pardon me--because he's such a shallow pup. I never
think of you two that I don't think of Titania and Nick."
As he tossed this lightly over his shoulder, she was hopelessly at a
disadvantage. She was scarlet and shaking with anger. No return thrust
occurring to her, she flung a furious glance into his back and departed,
with about all the joy out of her anticipations of the meeting. Instead
of telephoning from the house, she ascended to the apartment over the
laboratory and by the direct wire there got the Phibbs Hotel in Fenton.
A few minutes, and Basil was at the other end. "Come to the house here,
instead," said she. "At the same time--two o'clock."