At that very moment they heard the stamp of a heavy foot, and the drawing-room door was opened with a jerk. "Now he's coming to swear at me again!" Caroline got up, stood a moment with her eyes shut, then opened them with a jerk, and walked out of the room straight up the stairs. She took off her hat as she went. Sir Samuel Broxbourne was standing on the top stair; he frowned as he saw her. He was dressed as for travelling, in a rough tweed suit. It was the girl who spoke first. "What are you doing here?" she asked. "By what right do you come to the house at this time? Will you please be so good as to go at once?" He stared at her, and, as she advanced, he moved mechanically on one side and let her pass, but he followed her into the drawing-room. "I am here by appointment," he said; his tone was sullen, his manner rude. "Mrs. Lancing desires to see me." "No person would give you an appointment for six o'clock in the morning," said Caroline. "Ordinary people might not," he answered with a smile that was a sneer, "but this is not an ordinary house." Caroline walked into the dismantled drawing-room. "As Mrs. Lancing is not here," she said, "it is undesirable that you should remain." "I shall go when I choose," was Broxbourne's answer. Caroline shrugged her shoulders, and turned at once to leave the room, but he stood in the way. "No," he said, "since you give orders you must know what is going on here. If Mrs. Lancing is not here, why are you here?" "I recognize no right on your part to question me," said Caroline. She was swayed about by the most extraordinary feelings, prominent amongst which was a sense of acute relief that almost amounted to joy. Whatever Camilla had done, wherever she was, this man at least was not with her. It was impossible for Caroline to try and piece out what probable step the other woman had taken, but at least the degradation of close association with this man was not part of her movements. Sir Samuel eyed her with suspicion, and yet her quietness, her tired pale face, and that wonderful dignity which sat upon her so naturally, impressed him. "I don't want to question you," he said surlily, "I only want to see her." "She is not here," said Caroline. "Then, where is she? You think I'm lying when I tell you that I came here by appointment; but I tell you that she fixed the hour herself. If you don't believe me, here's her note." He held out a crumpled piece of paper. Caroline put it on one side, but she could not help seeing the writing, and she knew it only too well. "If Mrs. Lancing has told you to come here to meet her, then I can say no more." She moved away to the door, and once again he stood on one side and let her pass. At that moment they heard the sound of a cab approaching in the street; it pulled up; a moment later the bell rang.