CHAPTER XXVI
CLEMENTINA ASKS QUESTIONS
LITTLE DUKE rapidly recovered from his shock, and the sudden arrival of David Collins gave the entire household something to think of besides the storm. Polly alone bore the brunt of the surprise. She had felt vaguely that sometime this must come—her meeting again with David; but she had thrust aside the thought of it as something not of the present. His appearance, therefore, caught her unprepared, and she suffered in consequence. Yet, so complete was her self-control that none except Lilith guessed of her timorous heart or her aversion to her unexpected guest.
She had asked no questions of Benedicta concerning the coming of David, but on the morning after his arrival she accidentally overheard the explanation as well as several other things.
“Where did you find Mr. Collins?” Clementina was asking the housekeeper as she lingered in the kitchen after breakfast.
“I didn’t find him,” was the answer. “He found me.”
“Where’bouts?” persisted the child.
“Why, he was on his way to the garage, when he spied the number of my car—or Miss Dudley’s car, I should say—and he raced after me, yellin’ at the top of his voice. He s’posed it was Miss Polly inside. I guess he was amazin’ly flabbergasted when he saw me drivin’,” she chuckled.
“What’s ’flapper—grasted’?” questioned Clementina.
“Oh, just a good deal surprised,” was the quiet answer.