“But could you have doubted that I should, sir? Your words struck home. I have fetched the correspondence which has for too long languished on my desk. I have no excuse: I didn't even find it interesting.”
The Squire stared at him under his bushy brows, and gave a grunt. “No need to have rushed off for it then and there. However, I'm obliged to you. Where is it?”
“Can it be that I have erred again? I gave the envelope into Mrs. Ainstable's keeping.”
“Pity. Lindale could have taken it home, and run his eye over it. If you're going my way, I'll walk along with you, Lindale.”
“I'm afraid I'm not, sir. We didn't come in the car. I'm going by way of the footpath.”
“Yes, yes, that's all right, so am I. Going to have a look at my new plantation. My land stretches as far as the path, behind this place, you know.”
“Now nobody must go before they've had a drink,” interposed Mrs. Haswell hospitably.
“Nothing more for me, thank you,” Mr. Drybeck said. “I must not hurry my kind chauffeur, but I have promised my housekeeper I will not be late. She likes to go to the cinema in Bellingham on Saturday evening, you know, and so I make it a rule to have an early supper to accommodate her.”
“By Jove, yes!” said the Major, glancing at his watch. “I must be getting along too!”
“Perhaps I had better go quietly away,” said Gavin, setting down his empty glass. “Something tells me I am not popular. Of course, I see now: I should have presented those papers to the Squire on bent knee, instead of handing them casually to his wife. It is all the fault of my upbringing.”