"Yes."
"And your picture appeared?"
"No, not that, thank heavens!"
Loretta laughed indulgently. "You're queer, Constance. You're so
scared of publicity. I shouldn't mind a bit having my picture in the
papers. What's more, I don't believe she does. This divorce had to
come out, sooner or later. I shouldn't wonder in the least," she
added, boldly, "if she lets the reporters know when she has a new
photograph taken. By the way, I went to see her."
Constance knew at once what she meant, and the dismay and curiosity
inspired by the announcement rose paramount to her other feelings of
protest.
"When?"
"It surprises you, doesn't it? I went on two of those afternoons when
you sat with Mrs. Perry. And I saw her, too. The first time the
butler said she was engaged. He tried to shunt me off the same way
again, but I was too smart for him. 'Tell her Loretta Davis is very
anxious to talk with her on business,' I said, and the message came
back that she'd be down presently. Between my baby and my nurse's work
it wasn't hard to find the business, and then I told her plump I was
sorry to hear about her daughter. At that she colored up--you ought to
have seen her, and looked as though she had swallowed a steel rod.
Said she, 'I appreciate your desire to be sympathetic, Loretta, but
that is a subject I cannot discuss with anyone, please.'" Loretta
spoke mincingly, evidently aiming to reproduce Mrs. Wilson's
exquisiteness of manner and speech. "Said I 'I thought it might make
you feel better to talk it over with someone. It would me, I know.'
But it wasn't any use. She wouldn't, and she sort of froze me; and
pretty soon we both got up, I to go, and she to have me go. However,
now it's all out, and everyone will be talking about it."
"But not with her. I warned you that she wouldn't like it."
"Yes, you warned me. And I don't mind saying I think she needn't have
been so stiff, seeing I told her everything when I was in trouble.
Anyhow, I saw the house again and her, and now there's a new picture of
her in the paper, and the thing is going to make a big sensation, if
what's printed here is true, and I guess it is." She nodded her head
with a repetition of her air of mystery. "There are the facts you said
we ought to wait for."
"But you seem almost glad," Constance could not refrain from remarking.
"You stated you went to see Mrs. Wilson because you were sorry for her."
"So I did; so I am. I'm dreadfully sorry for her. I'd do anything to
help her, but I can't; and she won't let me show my sympathy. But
since the thing has happened, I'm glad it's exciting."