“No, no, you need not see him! I think, Miss Plymstock, that perhaps we had better go immediately.”
“I’m agreeable,” responded Hannah, picking up her basket.
Meg, eyeing the basket in a fascinated way, and wondering what could be in it, made no further attempt to detain the travellers. She accompanied them to the front-door, and stood on the top step to wave good-bye, calling after Dolphinton to be sure to bring Kitty back in good time the next day. This adjuration made him pause, just as he was about to climb into the carriage. He looked over his shoulder in a harassed manner, and was just about to say that he was not coming back to London when two small but resolute pairs of hands seized his coat and dragged him into the carriage. The door was shut on him, and his groom mounted on to the box beside the coachman. “Drive fast!” said his lordship, putting his head out of the window. “Spring’em!”
Chapter XVIII
Mr. Standen, arriving in Berkeley Square just after noon, allowed Skelton to help him out of his many-caped driving coat, laid his hat and gloves on a side-table, and paused under a large Venetian gilt mirror to adjust his cravat. “Ladies at home, Skelton?” he enquired.
“Her ladyship is partaking of luncheon in the breakfast-parlour, sir. Miss Charing went out of town this morning, and will not be back, I understand, until tomorrow.”
Freddy looked mildly surprised. “Did she, though? What made her do that?”
“I couldn’t say, sir.”
“Queer start!” remarked Freddy. “No need to announce me.”
Skelton bowed, but opened the door of the parlour at the back of the house for him. Freddy wandered into the room, and accorded his sister a brotherly greeting. “Hallo, Meg! What’s this Skelton tells me about Kit? Where has she gone to?”