"I called at the railway station, and the luggage will be here before eight to-morrow morning," he said, quietly.
"All right, all right," replied Sir Samuel, slow to understand what was going on, but uncomfortable between the two young men. "I didn't know that you were acquainted with my stepson, Dane."
"It was scarcely an acquaintance, sir," said the chauffeur. "And I wasn't aware that Mr. Stokes was your stepson."
"If you had been, you jolly well wouldn't have taken the engagement—what?" remarked Bertie, with a hateful laugh.
This time Jack condescended to look at him; from the head down, from the feet up. "Really," he said, after an instant's reflection, "it wouldn't have been fair to Sir Samuel to feel a prejudice on account of the relationship. If one of the servants would kindly show me the garage—"
CHAPTER XXVI
If it hadn't been for the hope of seeing Jack again, I should have said that I wanted nothing to eat, when I was asked; but I thought that he might come to the servants' dining-room, if only because he would expect to find me there; and I was right: he came.
"What an imbroglio!" I whispered, as he joined me at the table, where hot soup and cold chicken were set forth.