[p144]
CHAPTER XIII
AN INTERVIEW WITH THE INTERVIEWER
He could hardly wait to ring the bell; the front door was open and seemed to suggest that he should stride in and march directly to the room from which children’s voices were coming and where the victim of his brutality most likely also was sitting.
But he thought better of such behaviour and loudly rang the bell.
Anna came down the hall, evidently trying to restrain a giggle at his dusty appearance.
“Is Miss Bibby in?” he demanded sternly.
Anna looked uncertainly at the sitting-room door. “I—don’t know for certain. Will I go and see?”
“Yes, immediately, please,” said Hugh.
She did not ask him in at once: instead she took a few steps to the sitting-room door, opened it, giggled at the children, smoothed her face and turned round again.
[p145]
“She’s not in there, sir,” she said. “Will you come in and sit down, and I’ll go and see if she’s anywhere else?”