“Oh then there’ll be nobody till nine. I didn’t, I suppose, sufficiently study my note; which didn’t mention to me, by the way,” Vanderbank added, “that you were to be here.”
“Ah but why SHOULD it?” Nanda spoke again, however, before he could reply. “I dare say that when she wrote to you she didn’t know.”
“Know you’d come bang up to meet me?” Vanderbank laughed. “Jolly at any rate, thanks to my mistake, to have in this way a quiet moment with you. You came on ahead of your mother?”
“Oh no—I’m staying here.”
“Oh!” said Vanderbank.
“Mr. Longdon came up with me—I came here, Friday last, straight.”
“You parted at the door?” he asked with marked gaiety.
She thought a moment—she was more serious. “Yes—but only for a day or two. He’s coming tonight.”
“Good. How delightful!”
“He’ll be glad to see you,” Nanda said, looking at the flowers.