“And couldn’t he have helped you? What was he about?”
“I’m afraid, like yourself, I was looking for Miss Morven,” he replied.
Norris turned from him with a sniff of disparagement, and, addressing herself to her mistress, said—
“And where’s the Rector?”
“He is dining with Mr. Harnett.”
“Tut, tut, tut! And he will stay half the night talking books, and there are a brace of grouse for dinner—kept to the hour—and all he will get at Harnett’s will be green vegetables, like a goat—he’s a sexagenarian!”
At this Aurea laughed and the chauffeur smiled; he was now walking alongside of Miss Aurea, as much at his ease as if he were a gentleman! Norris turned on him abruptly, and said—
“Look here, young man, you’d better be getting on—it’s your supper-time, and Mother Hogben won’t keep it hot for you.”
“It’s very good of you to think of my supper,” he replied, with a touch of hauteur; “but I’m not in any hurry.”
He spoke to her as her superior; his was the voice and air of the ruling and upper class, and Norris’ dislike to the insolent young ne’er-do-well suddenly flared into active hatred. Meanwhile, he walked with them to the very end of the lane, and opened the side gate for Miss Morven and herself; and as he held it, he took off his cap to Miss Aurea and said—