Part 28 (2/2)
Helen smiled.
”You'll have one advantage I don't enjoy. Your husband, being a lawyer, won't be taking trips to South Africa all the time.”
”Oh, I don't know,” laughed the girl; ”it's sometimes nice to lose sight of each other for a time. The lovemaking is all the more furious when your husband gets back.”
”Yes--unless he happens to meet some other charmer on his travels.”
”Oh, nonsense, Helen--men don't really have such adventures. That only happens in novels.”
”I hope so,” murmured her sister.
”Oh, by the bye,” exclaimed Ray, ”who do you suppose we saw on the dock?”
”Who?”
”That horrid creature--Signor Keralio.”
Helen looked up in surprise.
”Keralio? What was he doing there? Did he speak to you?”
”No--he seemed to avoid us. Once I got lost for a moment in the crush, and, as I turned, I thought I saw him talking earnestly to Kenneth and Francois. Of course I must have been mistaken, for, when I finally rejoined them, both denied having seen him!”
”Keralio!” murmured Helen. ”How strange! That man seems to pursue us like some evil genius. No matter where we go, he follows like a shadow. Oh, I forgot all about Francois. Where is he?”
”Downstairs.”
Helen touched a bell.
”Why do you need him?”
”Kenneth wants him. I forgot all about it. All his things need putting away. The litter upstairs is simply terrible.”
”There won't be much time for unpacking,” objected Ray. ”It's half-past five already. We'll soon have to think of dressing for dinner.”
Suddenly the door opened and Francois appeared. He entered quietly, stealthily, and, advancing to where his mistress was, stood in silence, awaiting her orders.
”Your master wants you upstairs, Francois.”
The man bowed.
”_Bien_, madame!”
”Tell Mr. Traynor not to keep you too long, because there's a lot of work to be done downstairs before dinner.”
”_Bien_, madame.”
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