"You didn't commit yourself, did you?
You didn't acknowledge anything?"
Her heart sank.
"No," she answered.
"Are you quite sure?" He asked, looking at her sharply.
"Quite sure," she lied again.
He leaned back in his chair and stared vacantly at the map of China which was hanging on the wall in front of him.
She watched him anxiously.
She was somewhat disconcerted at the manner in which he had received the news.
She had expected him to take her in his arms and tell her he was thankful, for now they could be together always; but of course men were funny.
She was crying softly, not now to arouse sympathy, but because it seemed the natural thing to do.
"This is a bloody mess we've got into," he said at length. "But it's no good losing our heads.
Crying isn't going to do us any good, you know."
She noticed the irritation in his voice and dried her eyes.
"It's not my fault, Charlie.
I couldn't help it."
"Of course you couldn't.
It was just damned bad luck.
I was just as much to blame as you were.
The thing to do now is to see how we're going to get out of it.
I don't suppose you want to be divorced any more than I do."
She smothered a gasp. She gave him a searching look.
He was not thinking of her at all.
"I wonder what his proofs really are.
I don't know how he can actually prove that we were together in that room.
On the whole we've been about as careful as any one could be.
I'm sure that old fellow at the curio shop wouldn't have given us away.
Even if he'd seen us go in there's no reason why we shouldn't hunt curios together."
He was talking to himself rather than to her.
"It's easy enough to bring charges, but it's damned difficult to prove them; any lawyer will tell you that.
Our line is to deny everything, and if he threatens to bring an action we'll tell him to go to hell and we'll fight it."
"I couldn't go into court, Charlie."
"Why on earth not?
I'm afraid you'll have to.
God knows, I don't want a row, but we can't take it lying down."
"Why need we defend it?"
"What a question to ask.
After all, it's not only you that are concerned, I'm concerned too.
But as a matter of fact I don't think you need be afraid of that.
We shall be able to square your husband somehow.
The only thing that worries me is the best way to set about it."
It looked as though an idea occurred to him, for he turned towards her with his charming smile and his tone, a moment before abrupt and businesslike, became ingratiating.
"I'm afraid you've been awfully upset, poor little woman. It's too bad." He stretched out his hand and took hers. "It's a scrape we've got into, but we shall get out of it. It's not…" He stopped and Kitty had a suspicion that he had been about to say that it was not the first he had got out of. "The greatest thing is to keep our heads.
You know I shall never let you down."
"I'm not frightened.
I don't care what he does."
He smiled still, but perhaps his smile was a trifle forced.
"If the worst comes to the worst I shall have to tell the Governor.
He'll curse me like hell, but he's a good fellow and a man of the world.
He'll fix it up somehow.