The
Foreign Secretary, who is rather a nervous man, and fastidious about a
woman's looks, never could bear me: and I believe he would have thought
it almost as justifiable as drowning an ugly kitten, to choke me if he
knew I'd overheard his secrets.
However, Ivor's next words gave me some inkling of what I wished to
know. "It's importance evidently doesn't consist in bulk," he said
lightly. "I can easily carry the case in my breast pocket."
"Pray put it there at once, and guard it as you would guard the life and
honour of a woman," said the Foreign Secretary solemnly. "Now, I, must
go and look for my wife. It's better that you and I shouldn't be seen
together. One never knows who may have got in among the guests at a
crush like this. I will go out at one door, and when you've waited for a
few minutes, you can go, by way of another."
A moment later there was silence in the room, and I knew that Ivor was
alone. What if I spoke, and startled him? All that is impish in me
longed to see how his face would look; but there was too much at stake.
Not only would I hate to have him scorn me for an eavesdropper, but I
had already built up a great plan for the use I could make of what I had
overheard.
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