Had a stray copy escaped him, and did Daisy know? What did
Robert know? Had they exquisite secrets from each other?
Lucia was being talked to across him by Mrs Weston, who had also pinned
down the attention of Peppino on the other side of her. At that precise
moment the flood of Mrs Quantock's spate of conversation to the Colonel
dried up, and Robert could find nothing more to say to the hungry
mouse. Georgie in this backwater of his own thoughts was whirled into
the current again. But before he sank he caught Mrs Quantock's eye and
put a question that arose from his exciting backwater.
"Have you heard from the Princess lately?" he asked.
Robert's head went round with the same alacrity as he had turned it
away.
"Oh, yes," said she. "Two days ago was it, Robert?"
"I heard yesterday," said Robert firmly.
Mrs Quantock looked at her husband with an eager encouraging
earnestness.
"So you did!" she said. 'I'm getting jealous. Interesting, dear?"
"Yes, dear, haw, haw," said Robert, and again their eyes met.
This time Georgie had no doubts at all. They were playing the same game
now: they smiled and smirked at each other. They had not been playing
the same game before. Now they recognised that there was a conspiracy
between them.... But he was host, his business for the moment was to
make his guests comfortable, and not pry into their inmost bosoms.
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