I had the same situation. My next door neighbors wife was niftar and I went to be menachem avel with out my husband and it was fine because we knew each other for many years and our families are very close, but if am not so close to the husband but I was friends with the nifteres I would send my husband.On the flip side I was sitting shiva for my mother and a single guy who was a ben bais in my house came to be menachem avel me, he did not sit down and stayed in the back and then went to find my husband.
I would go and if you walk in and feel uncomfortable just stay a few minutes and then leave.