“Well!” she went on, “and so you’ve come to see us at last! I thought you were going to live and die in that tumble-down old place of yours, without so much as a shake of the ’and! I ’ope you’re all well at ’ome!”
The stranger did not seem to know how to receive these civilities. He had not seated himself, but stood in the centre of the room with his hat in his hand, as though he found a difficulty in stating his errand at the Red House.
“Take a chair,” said Madame Gobelli in her rough way, “there’s enough and to spare, and my young friend ’ere won’t eat you!”
Still Captain Hill deliberated about accepting her offer.
“Thank you,” he commenced, “but I shall not detain you above a few moments. I came to speak to you about your dog, Madame Gobelli. My parents are both very old, and my mother especially delicate—indeed, I fear that she may never rise from her bed again!”
Here his voice faltered a little, but quickly recovering himself he went on,
“She sleeps very little, and that little has now become impossible to her on account of the incessant barking of your yard dog. I am here to-day by the wish of my mother’s medical attendant, Doctor Parker, to tell you that the noise is seriously affecting her health, and to beg that you will adopt some measures to have the annoyance stopped.”
As the Baroness understood the reason for which her neighbour had called upon her, her countenance palpably changed. The broad smile faded from her face and was replaced by an ominous frown. If there was one thing which she resented above another, it was being called to task for any disturbance in her household. Without taking any notice apparently of Captain Hill’s complaint, she turned to Miss Wynward and said,
“Miss Wynward, come ’ere! Does that dog bark at night?”
“Sometimes, my lady,” replied the governess dubiously.