But in her heart, the fear had grown a little stronger, and a specter
walked by her side. Once during the evening, her husband looked at her
questioningly, and she breathed a few words to him. He laughed
reassuringly.
"Oh! Wingrave's all right, I believe," he said, "it's only his manner
that puts you off a bit. He's just the same with everyone! I don't
think he means anything by it!"
Lady Ruth shivered, but she said nothing. Just then Aynesworth came
up, and with a motion of her fan she called him to her.
"Please take me into the other room," she said "I want a glass of
champagne, and on the way you can tell me all about America."
"One is always making epigrams about America," he protested, smiling.
"Won't you spare me?"
"Tell me, then, how you progress with your great character study!"
"Ah!" he remarked quietly, "you come now to a more interesting
subject."
"Yes?"
"Frankly, I do not progress at all."
"So far as you have gone?"
"If," he said, "I were to take pen and paper and write down, at this
moment, my conclusions so far as I have been able to form any, I fancy
that they would make evil reading. Permit me!"
They stood for a few minutes before the long sideboard. A footman had
poured champagne into their glasses, and Lady Ruth talked easily
enough the jargon of the moment. But when they turned away, she moved
slowly, and her voice was almost a whisper.
"Tell me this," she said, "is he really as hard and cold as he seems?
You have lived with him now for four years.
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