Part 35 (1/2)
”Oh, I see. I suppose that if I'd any real interest in your welfare, I ought to refuse, but as you'd do as you please in any event, I'm quite at your service.”
”Thanks. Mamma will be here presently. She's announced her intention of attending early service, and if she does----”
”She might interrupt another, and that would be awkward.”
”Dreadfully. She does not wish me to marry Lieutenant Kingsland--I think she would rather I married you.”
”Is she so bitter? Well, make your own mind easy, I won't ask her.”
”But you must.”
”What!!!”
”Nothing short of a proposal would deter her from going to service.”
”But, I thought you----!”
”Oh, I'll promise to be unavailable by the time you've finished,-- s.h.!.+
she's coming. Remember your promise to help me, and wish me luck.”
”With all my heart,” he cried, as she vanished through the door, and the Dowager entered the hall.
Stanley wished the old lady good-morning which she received with chilling condescension, and neither of them spoke for some moments; a precious gain of time, during which her Ladys.h.i.+p put on her gloves, rearranged her cloak, unrolled and re-rolled her sunshade, paced the long hall, alternated glimpses out of the windows by glances up the great stairway, and betrayed every sign of impatient waiting for a tardy companion. The Secretary stood watching her and counting the minutes, which seemed to pa.s.s unusually slowly.
Finally the Dowager's patience got the better of her reserve; she faced round and demanded if he had seen her daughter.
”Yes,” he replied, very deliberately. ”I believe she was in the hall when I came down.”
”Believe. Do you not know, Mr. Stanley?”
”I certainly caught a glimpse of her,” he admitted.
”But she's not here now.”
The Secretary made a careful inspection, from his point of vantage on the hearthstone, of every cobweb and corner of the great apartment, and in the end found himself forced to agree with the Marchioness'
statement.
”Where has she gone, then?” was her next question.
”Really,” he replied, ”it is not your daughter's custom to keep me posted as to her movements.”
”But you've eyes, haven't you?” she retorted, testily. ”At least you know how she left this hall.”
The Secretary sighed as he saw the end of his little manoeuvre.
”She went out at the front door,” he said.
”Why couldn't you have told me that to begin with?”