It was perhaps preordered that they should do so. Long later, in looking back, she realised that destiny then was having its say with her, and realised also why. At the time, however, she was ignorant of two incidents, which, after the fashion of the apparently insignificant, subsequently became the reverse.
One incident had the porters for agent; the other was effected by a maid who supervened. The porters, in removing the luggage, collided with the table. The inkstand, the tall vase with the taller lilies, were upset; the vase, spilling water and flowers, fell broken on the floor; from the stand, ink rippled on the red of the cloth, on the darker red of the tassels, on the envelope which Leilah had directed to Verplank. These things, a maid, summoned by the crash, removed.
When Verplank returned, the table was bare.
He did not notice. What he alone noticed was Leilah’s absence. She is below, he told himself. Then precisely as she had summoned her servants, he summoned his.
“Roberts,” he said presently to a man. “Find Mrs. Verplank. Then get my things together. We start at once.”
For a moment the man considered the master. At once civilly but stolidly he spoke:
“Mrs. Verplank has gone, sir.”
Verplank, who had turned on his heel, turned back.
“What?”