CHAPTER XII
Antwerp, in flames from incendiary bombs, had fallen to the Germans, and hot fighting was in progress between Arras and Albert and from Laon to Rheims when Napier, not yet recovered from his shooting accident, returned from Scotland in October.
At his chambers in St. James' he was told that an urgent message had come for him from Lamborough. Would he please say nothing about it to Sir William, who must not be alarmed, but very particularly would he please ring up Lady McIntyre the moment he got back.
Before he opened a letter, or even took off his hat, he was listening to the agitated voice at the other end of the wire. It begged him to get a car and motor out instantly to Lamborough. "Without telling anybody, anybody at all," that he was coming.
"I hope nothing has happened to Sir William."
Sir William was all right, and he wasn't to know.
"Bad news from the front, is it?" he said with that already familiar turn of thought to the unintermitting tragedy across the Channel.
"No, no. Jim was all right. Colin and Neil, too." The distracted voice assured him, nevertheless, Mr. Gavan was urgently, cruelly needed at Lamborough.
"Tell me if anybody is hurt," he said with sudden horror upon him.
"N—not yet," came back the astonishing answer.