At the instant that Mr. Force sealed the envelope to the Earl of Enderby, could he have been clairvoyant, he might have looked in upon the library of Enderby Castle and seen the sunset light streaming through a richly stained oriel window upon the thin, pale, patrician face and form of a man of middle age, who sat wrapped in an Indian silk dressing gown, reclining in a deeply cushioned easy-chair, and reading a newspaper—the London Evening Telegram.
And this is what the Earl of Enderby read:
“We take pleasure in announcing that Col. the Hon. Angus Anglesea has been appointed deputy lieutenant governor of the county.”
CHAPTER VIII
ANTICIPATIONS
With the assembling of Congress, in the first week of December, the usual crowd of officials, pleasure-seekers, fortune hunters, adventurers and adventuresses poured into Washington. Hotels, boarding houses and private dwellings were full.
The serious business of fashion and the light recreation of legislation began.
Mr. Force went down to the capitol every day to listen to the disputes in the House or in the Senate.
Mrs. Force and Odalite drove out to call on such of their friends and acquaintances as had arrived in the city, and to leave cards for the elder lady’s “day”—the Wednesday of each week during the season.
Letters came from Le. His ship was still delayed for an indefinite time at Rio de Janeiro, waiting sailing orders, which seemed to be slow in coming.
Le’s letters betrayed the fact that he was fretting and fuming over the delay.