“They might be worse located—on a summer evening,” he hazarded.
She swept like a royal dowager towards the door. The girl followed but stopped a moment before him.
“Thank you again,” she murmured. “Good night.”
Then, with the Princess close behind her, she too swept queen like from the room.
As with something of a sigh Barnes half turned, he found John beside him as though he had come up through a trap in the floor.
“Ah, you?” he exclaimed.
“Yes, sir,” faltered John, wondering what else his master’s son had expected, “will you follow me, sir?”
Lighting a candle, the man escorted him to the room where the dimity curtains were bulging in from a brisk night breeze. As he placed the flickering light upon the dresser, Barnes inquired,
“You haven’t seen—”
“Good Lord, sir. No, sir.”