“Indeed I should like it,” said Grey, quickly, as she looked frankly in the Princess’s handsome face, the latter kissing her affectionately at parting.
“Now we must say good-night to Perowne and our hostess,” said the doctor, merrily. “Come along, my dear, and we’ll soon be home. But I say, where are these people?”
Neither Helen nor Mr Perowne was visible; and the replies they received to inquiries were of the most contradictory character.
“There, do let us go, Dr Bolter,” exclaimed the lady, with great asperity now. “No one will miss us; but if the Perownes do, we can apologise to-morrow or next day, when we see them.”
“But I should have liked to say good-night,” said the doctor. “Let’s have one more look. I daresay Helen is down here.”
“I daresay Captain Hilton knows where she is,” said Mrs Doctor, sharply, and Grey gave quite a start.
“But I can’t find Hilton, and I haven’t seen Chumbley lately.”
“Perhaps they have been sensible enough to go home to bed,” said Mrs Doctor, after she had been dragged up and down several walks.
“Almost seems as if everybody had gone home to bed,” said the doctor, rubbing his ear in a vexed manner. “Surely Perowne and Helen would not have gone to bed before the guests had left.”
“Well, I’m going to take Grey Stuart home, Doctor,” said the lady, decisively. “You can do as you like, but if the hostess cannot condescend to give up her own pleasure for her guests’, I don’t see why we should study her.”