"Is Lord Hurstmonceux at Castle Cragg?"
"The earl is at Balmoral, in attendance upon her majesty."
"Then why do we not go to Balmoral?"
"The queen holds no drawing rooms there."
Claudia suspected that he was deceiving her; but she felt that it would do no good to accuse him of deception.
The waiter returned to the room, bringing Lord Vincent's substantial supper, arranged on a tray.
"I have inquired below, sir; and there is no one arrived having in charge your gorillas. But there is a person with a panorama, sir; and there is a person with three negro persons, sir," said the waiter.
"He will do. Send up the 'person with three negro persons,'" said the viscount.
And once more the waiter left the room.
In a few moments Lord Vincent's valet entered.