He winced at the last phrase; it had arisen with complete naturalness to his mind. Was there then “something to be found out”? He hated to put this question to himself; he had no doubt of the answer. The answer was⁠—he was sure of it⁠—Armand de la Roche.

It was bitter to Van Aldin that a daughter of his should be gulled by such a man, yet he was forced to admit that she was in good company⁠—that other well-bred and intelligent women had succumbed just as easily to the Count’s fascination. Men saw through him, women did not.

He sought now for a phrase that would allay any suspicion that his secretary might have felt.

“Ruth is always changing her mind about things at a moment’s notice,” he remarked, and then he added in a would-be careless tone: “The maid didn’t give any⁠—er⁠—reason for this change of plan?”

Knighton was careful to make his voice as natural as possible as he replied: