CHAPTER V
As he sat in his office on the following Thursday morning, the whistle of the speaking-tube sounded shrilly and interrupted him in the act of composition. He went angrily to the tube.
“What do you want to interrupt me for,” he called, “when you know I’m busy? What the devil do you want, anyway?”
“I want you, Lukie,” said a gentle voice in reply.
“Come up at once,” he said. “Awfully sorry. Frightfully glad you’ve come. If there’s a chance of making a mistake within a hundred miles of me, I seldom miss it.”
Lady Tyburn came radiantly into the room, drawing off her gloves.
“Nasty shock for you, isn’t it?” she said. She held out both hands to him. “Will you ... will you help yourself?”
“Thanks,” he said, as he clasped them warmly. “I will have some of each.”
After a minute or two she withdrew her hands and sat down.