Mr. Hobhouse of course was dreadfully polite,
but seemed a little shy of the sex, and after a few commonplaces on
either side, she turned to her cousin and he to his host.
Tea was brought in, and the party chatted away as amicably as any party
of four in the kingdom. Thomas had found his tea party legs by this time
and quite enjoyed the situation. Mr. Rendall impressed him much more
favourably than he had impressed Roger Merton. The grimness seemed to
fall off the man when one got him going in talk and a vein of kindliness
opened instead.
"I'm dashed if there seems to be anything suspicious in anybody this
time!" said Mr. Hobhouse to himself rather disconsolately.
He had hardly made this reflection when he happened to glance at Jean.
This as a matter of fact had happened several times previously. For one
thing she was looking a picture, and for another the alcoholic visitor
liked to reassure himself at intervals that she was still without shadow
of suspicion. And each time he had felt perfectly reassured.
But this time he was conscious of a sudden thrill of certainty that Miss
Rendall had been covertly studying him, and that now (though her eyes
turned away instantly) she had some new food for thought. Instantly he
asked for another cup of tea and blinked at her benignantly as their eyes
met.
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