"If You would be so kind, Sir—my men are close by—I should be grateful if You will tell them to bring my chair along."
She held out her hand to him and he bowed low and kissed the tips of her fingers. Then he went.
6
Lord Douglas' spiteful glance followed the distinguished Actor's retreating figure until the door had closed upon him. Then he said drily:
"Perhaps you are right, Babs. He may as well fetch your chair. It is raining hard and one Lacquey is as good as another."
He turned to Mr. Baggs, who, standing first on one leg then on the other, presented a truly pitiable spectacle of Servility and Unmanliness. I think he had just come to realize that I had been in the room behind the screen all this while, and that my Presence would be unwelcome to their Lordships if they knew that I had overheard all their Conversation. Certain it is that I saw him give a quick glance in my direction, and then he became even more fussy and snivelling than before.
"In my inner Office," he murmured. "I pray you to honour me, my Lords.... A glass of wine, perhaps ... until the copies are finished. I should be so proud ... and ... and ... we should be quite undisturbed ... whereas here ... I only regret..."
I despised him for all that grovelling, and so did the Gentlemen, I make no doubt. Nevertheless, they were ready to follow him.
"We must wait somewhere," Lord Douglas said curtly. "And I should be glad of a glass of wine."
Lady Barbara was standing in the window-recess, waiting for her chair. She insisted on my Lord Stour going with her Brother into the inner room. Undoubtedly, she did not wish either of them to meet Mr. Betterton again.