"Ridiculous! They must send a message, whoever they are!"
"Parkins told them so, your ladyship," the girl answered; "but they
insisted that the matter was important. They would give no name, but
said that they were speaking from Mr. Wingrave's rooms."
Lady Ruth raised her eyebrows.
"It is very extraordinary," she said coldly, "but I will come to the
telephone."
"IT WAS AN ACCIDENT"
Lady Ruth took up the receiver. Some instinct seemed to have prompted
her to close the door of the study.
"Who is there?" she asked. "Who is it that wants me?"
A thin, unfamiliar voice answered her.
"Is that Lady Ruth Barrington?"
"Yes!"
"Is it--Mademoiselle Violet?"
The receiver nearly dropped from her hand.
"I don't understand you," she answered, "I am Lady Ruth Barrington!
Who are you?"
"You are Mademoiselle Violet," was the answer, "and you know who I am!
Listen, I am in Mr. Wingrave's rooms."
She would have liked to have rung off and gone away, but it seemed a
sheer impossibility for her to move! And all the time her knees were
shaking, and the fear of evil things was in her heart.
"What are you doing there?" she asked.
"He brought me in himself," the thin voice answered. "Can you hear me?
I don't want to speak any louder for fear anyone else should be
listening."
"Yes, I can hear," she answered. "But how dared you ring me up? Say
what you desire to quickly! I am going away.
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