Of course, I knew there was no reason why Whittington should be in that room rather than in any other less reason, in fact, for the betting would be on his being in one of the reception-rooms downstairs.
Whitting would have been more comfortable in the reception rooms downstairs.  
mnli hypothesis: Whitting would have been more comfortable in the reception rooms downstairs.   premise: Of course, I knew there was no reason why Whittington should be in that room rather than in any other less reason, in fact, for the betting would be on his being in one of the reception-rooms downstairs.