"I say, you must pull yourself together.
It's a hundred to one it wasn't Walter.
Why on earth should he come back at this hour?
He never does come home in the middle of the day, does he?"
"Never."
"I'll bet you anything you like it was the amah."
She gave him the shadow of a smile.
His rich, caressing voice reassured her and she took his hand and affectionately pressed it.
He gave her a moment to collect herself.
"Look here, we can't stay here for ever," he said then.
"Do you feel up to going out on the verandah and having a look?"
"I don't think I can stand."
"Have you got any brandy in here?"
She shook her head.
A frown for an instant darkened his brow, he was growing impatient, he did not quite know what to do.
Suddenly she clutched his hand more tightly.
"Suppose he's waiting there?"
He forced his lips to smile and his voice retained the gentle, persuasive tone the effect of which he was so fully conscious of.
"That's not very likely.
Have a little pluck, Kitty.
How can it possibly be your husband?
If he'd come in and seen a strange topee in the hall and come upstairs and found your room locked, surely he would have made some sort of row.
It must have been one of the servants.
Only a Chinese would turn a handle in that way."
She did feel more herself now.
"It's not very pleasant even if it was only the amah."
"She can be squared and if necessary, I'll put the fear of God into her.
There are not many advantages in being a government official, but you may as well get what you can out of it."
He must be right.
She stood up and turning to him stretched out her arms: he took her in his and kissed her on the lips.
It was such rapture that it was pain.
She adored him.
He released her and she went to the window.
She slid back the bolt and opening the shutter a little looked out.
There was not a soul.
She slipped on to the verandah, looked into her husband's dressing-room and then into her own sitting-room.
Both were empty.
She went back to the bedroom and beckoned to him.
"Nobody."
"I believe the whole thing was an optical delusion."
"Don't laugh.
I was terrified.
Go into my siting-room and sit down. I'll put on my stockings an some shoes."
II
HE did as she bade and in five minutes she joined him.
He was smoking a cigarette.
"I say, could I have a brandy and soda?"
"Yes, I'll ring."
"I don't think it would hurt you by the look of things."
They waited in silence for the boy to answer. She gave the order.