“Not at all the sort of young man I should have selected for a clerk.”
“Never mind; make the best of him.”
“Mr Van Heldre is coming, sir,” said Harry coldly, as he re-entered the office.
“Bah! I didn’t tell you to bring him here. I want to go in there.”
As Luke Vine spoke, he rose and moved to the door.
“Be a good boy,” he said, turning with a peculiar smile at his nephew. “I daresay you’ll get on.”
“Oh!” muttered Harry, as he retook his place at his desk; “how I should like to tell you, Uncle Luke, just what I think.”
The door closed behind the old man, who had nearly reached the end of the long passage, when he met Van Heldre.
“Ah, Luke Vine, I was just coming.”
“Go back,” said the visitor, making a stab at the merchant with his stick. “Brought you something. Where’s Mrs Van Heldre?”