It could not be that his wife had contradicted him flatly.

It--could--_not_--be.
He was still incredulous, breathing heavily, when the door opened and James Hutchings appeared on the threshold.

In his right hand he held the decanter of offending port, in his left a sound cork.
He said firmly: "This wine isn't corked, m'lord.

Its flavour is perfect.
Besides, a cork like this couldn't cork it." A less sensitive man than Lord Loudwater might have risen to the double emergency.

Lord Loudwater could not.