Here Lady Brandon, finding Erskine at her side, and Sir Charles before her with Gertrude, looked round for Trefusis, with whom she intended to enjoy a trifling flirtation under cover of showing him the flowers.

He was out of sight; but she heard his footsteps in the passage on the opposite side of the greenhouse.

Agatha was also invisible.

Jane, not daring to rearrange their procession lest her design should become obvious, had to walk on with Erskine.
Agatha had turned unintentionally into the opposite alley to that which the others had chosen.

When she saw what she had done, and found herself virtually alone with Trefusis, who had followed her, she blamed him for it, and was about to retrace her steps when he said coolly: "Were you shocked when you heard of Henrietta's sudden death ?" Agatha struggled with herself for a moment, and then said in a suppressed voice: "How dare you speak to me ?" "Why not ?" said he, astonished.
"I am not going to enter into a discussion with you.