"Claudius is not come," he said in a low voice.
"Not come?" cried Lady Victoria, "not come? Why he has been here these two hours, with Margaret!"
The Duke was fairly overpowered and worn-out with excitement, and he fell back into a chair.
"How the—" he began, but checked the expletive, which found vent elsewhere, as expletives will. "Where the devil did he come from?"
"From Europe, I believe," said she. "Don't swear about it."
"Excuse me, Vick, I am bowled out; I was never so taken aback in my life. Tell me all about it, Vick." And he slowly recovered his senses enough to appreciate that Claudius had really arrived, and that he, the friend who had taken so much trouble, had somehow missed him after all. But he was honestly glad.
"I only saw him a moment, and I came in to your room to wait. Of course I let him go in there alone."
"Of course," assented her brother gravely.
"Margaret was waiting for him, for she got your telegram that the ship was in sight at three o'clock, and he got here at five; I thought it was very quick."
"Devilish quick, indeed," said her profane brother under his breath. "Tell me all about it," he added aloud.