Then, almost on the instant, they were gazing at him with politely inquiring eyes, Lady Loudwater smiling.

He felt that they were intensely on their guard.

It was uncommonly puzzling.
He changed his mind about questioning Lady Loudwater in the presence of Grey, and asked if she could spare him a minute or two to answer a few questions.
"Oh, yes.

I'm sure Colonel Grey will excuse me," she said readily.
"But why shouldn't you question Lady Loudwater before me ?" said Colonel Grey coolly; but he slapped his thigh nervously with the pair of gloves he was carrying.

"It's always as well for a woman to have a man at hand in an awkward affair like this, which may lead to a good deal of unpleasantness if anything goes wrong.