“The diligence is a fast diligence,” said the guard offendedly. “It will be very good time. Where is your baggage, mademoiselle?”
When Miss Challoner confessed that she had none, he obviously thought her a very queer passenger, but he let down the steps for her to mount into the coach, and accepted the money she handed him.
In another minute the driver’s whip cracked, and the coach began to move ponderously forward over the cobbles. Miss Challoner heaved a sigh of relief, and squeezed herself into a place between a farmer smelling of garlic and a very fat woman with a child on her knee.
Chapter XVII
Upon the Duchess of Avon’s entry into the parlour, Vidal had come quickly towards her, and caught her in his arms. But her opening speech made him let her go, and the welcoming light in his eyes fled. His heavy frown, so rarely seen by her, descended on his brow. He stepped back from Léonie, and shot a scowling look at Lord Rupert. “Why did you bring my mother here?” he said. “Can you not keep from meddling, curse you?”
“Easily, never fear it!” retorted Rupert. “Fiend seize you, d’ye think I want to go chasing all over France for the pleasure of seeing you? Bring your mother? Lord, I’ve been begging and imploring her to come home ever since we started out! God bless my soul, is that young Comyn?” He put up his glass, and stared through it. “Now what the plague are you doing here?” he inquired.
Léonie put her hand on Vidal’s arm. “It is of no use to be enraged, mon enfant. You have done a great wickedness. Where is that girl?”
“If you are speaking of the lady who was Miss Challoner,” replied Vidal icily, “she is upstairs.”
Léonie said quickly: “WasMiss Challoner? You have married her? Oh, Dominique, no!”
“You are entirely in the right, madame. I have not married her. She is married to Comyn,” said his lordship bitterly.