"I hope you had a pleasant day, Miss Wrenn," she said kindly. "I have
been too busy to get off any letters, but tomorrow we shall begin
early." Then, as if from an afterthought, she looked back and added,
"There are some new novels in my sitting-room. You might care to look
over them."
When she had gone, I went upstairs to the sitting-room and turned over
the books, but I couldn't, to save my life, force an interest in printed
romances after meeting Mrs. Vanderbridge and remembering the mystery
that surrounded her. I wondered if "the Other One," as Hopkins called
her, lived in the house, and I was still wondering this when the maid
came in and began putting the table to rights.
"Do they dine out often?" I asked.
"They used to, but since Mr. Vanderbridge hasn't been so well, Mrs.
Vanderbridge doesn't like to go without him. She only went tonight
because he begged her to."
She had barely finished speaking when the door opened, and Mr.
Vanderbridge came in and sat down in one of the big velvet chairs before
the wood fire. He had not noticed us, for one of his moods was upon him,
and I was about to slip out as noiselessly as I could when I saw that
the Other One was standing in the patch of firelight on the hearth rug.
I had not seen her come in, and Hopkins evidently was still unaware of
her presence, for while I was watching, I saw the maid turn towards her
with a fresh log for the fire.
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