"
"Where has she gone?"
"To Tuxedo, madam."
"Tuxedo?"
"Mrs. Winfield has just rung us up from there upon the telephone to
request that necessaries for an indefinite stay be despatched to her.
She is visiting Mrs. Bailey Bannister."
If Mrs. Porter had been Steve, she would probably have said "For the
love of Mike!" at this point. Being herself, she merely repeated the
butler's last words.
"If I may be allowed to say so, madam, I think that there must have
been trouble at Mrs. Bannister's. A telephone-call came from her very
early this morning for Mrs. Winfield which caused Mrs. Winfield to rise
and leave in a taximeter-cab in an extreme hurry. If I might be allowed
to suggest it, it is probably a case of serious illness. Mrs. Winfield
was looking very disturbed."
"H'm!" said Mrs. Porter. The exclamation was one of disappointment
rather than of apprehension. Sudden illnesses at the Bailey home did
not stir her, but she was annoyed that her recital of the squelching of
the publishers would have to wait.
She went upstairs. Her intention was to look in at the nursery and
satisfy herself that all was well with William Bannister. She had given
Mamie specific instructions as to his care on her departure; but you
never knew. Perhaps her keen eye might be able to detect some deviation
from the rules she had laid down.
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