While Allerton was making these reflections Steptoe was summoned to the telephone.
“Is this you, Steptoe? I’m Miss Barbara Walbrook.”
Steptoe braced himself. In conversing with Miss Barbara Walbrook he always felt the need of inner strengthening. “Yes, Miss Walbrook?”
“Mr. Allerton tells me you’ve a young woman at the house.”
“We ’ave a young lydy. Certainly, miss.”
“And Mr. Allerton has asked me to call on her.”
Steptoe’s training as a servant permitted him no lapses of surprise. “Quite so, miss. And when was it you’d be likely to call?”
“This afternoon about four-thirty. Perhaps you could arrange to have me see her alone.”
“Oh, there ain’t likely to be no one ’ere, miss.”
“And another thing, Steptoe. Mr. Allerton has asked me just to call as an old friend of his. So you’ll please not say to her that—well, anything about me. I’m sure you understand.”