He lighted a cigarette and immediately threw it away. He rang the bell, and when the servant came, said he didn't want anything. He went into the dining-room, poured out some brandy-and-soda. He looked at it and left it untouched. Then, suddenly, he went upstairs. There was an expression on his face of mingled anxiety, slight amusement, and surprise. He went to her room. The door was locked. 'Hyacinth,' he said in a low voice, 'Hyacinth, darling, do open the door.... I want to speak to you. Do answer. You are quite mistaken, you know.... You know I don't care for anyone but you, dear. It's too absurd. Open the door!' 'Please go away, Cecil.' 'But, I say, I _insist_ on your opening the door! I _will_ come in; you're treating me shamefully, and I won't stand it. Do you hear?' She came close to the door and said in a low, distinct voice-- 'I don't wish to see you, and you must please leave me alone. I'm busy.' 'Busy! Good Lord! What are you doing?' 'I'm packing,' she answered. He waited a second, and then went downstairs again and sat down in the arm-chair. 'By Jove!' he exclaimed again. 'By--Jove!' His thoughts were more eloquent. But a baffled Englishman is rarely very articulate. CHAPTER XXXIV Anne and Eugenia 'If you please, my lady, there's someone called to see you.' Eugenia looked up in surprise. She was in the library, occupied in cataloguing Lord Selsey's books. 'It's a--well--it's not exactly a young person, my lady. She says she's sure you will see her. The name is Miss Yeo.' 'Miss Yeo?' Eugenia looked puzzled. 'Show her in at once.' Anne came in, coolly. 'I'm afraid you hardly remember me, Lady Selsey,' she said. 'We met last summer. I was Miss Verney's companion.' Eugenia held out her hand cordially. 'Of course, I remember you very well. Why, it was here we met! At that musical party! Do sit down, Miss Yeo. Won't you take off your mackintosh?' 'No, thanks. I must apologise for intruding. The fact is I've come about something important. It's about Mrs Reeve.' 'Mrs Reeve?' Eugenia leant eagerly forward. 'Do, do tell me! Anything about her interests me so much.' 'You'll think me very impertinent, Lady Selsey. But I can't help it. I'll come straight to the point.' 'Do, please.' 'Mrs Reeve has had a terrible quarrel with her husband. She would have left him this morning, but that I persuaded her to wait. I came to tell you because I felt sure you would be sorry. It's about you, Lady Selsey.' 'About me!' 'Yes. She saw you driving with her husband, and he didn't mention it. She's jealous of you. Of course he explained it, but she doesn't believe him. I thought he probably would not say anything about it to you. I know, of course, it's a sort of misunderstanding. But I thought perhaps you could do something about it to make it all right.'