Hadria’s eye-lids suddenly fell and reddened slightly.
“Oh, you are so kind!” she exclaimed, in a voice whose tones betrayed the presence of suppressed tears.
Lady Engleton, in astonishment, stretched out a sisterly hand, but Hadria had vanished through the open hall door into the darkness without.
CHAPTER XLI.
MRS. TEMPERLEY was much discussed at Craddock Place. Professor Theobald preserved the same grave mood whenever she was present. He only returned to his usual manner, in her absence. “Theobald has on his Mrs. Temperley manner,” Claude Moreton used to say. The latter was himself among her admirers.
“I begin to be afraid that Claude is taking her too seriously,” Lady Engleton remarked to her husband. He had fired up on one occasion when Professor Theobald said something flippant about Mrs. Temperley. Claude Moreton’s usual calmness had caused the sudden outburst to be noticed with surprise. He hated Professor Theobald.
“What possesses you both to let that fellow come here so much?”
“The Professor? Oh, he is a very old friend, you know, and extremely clever. One has to put up with his manner.”
Claude Moreton grunted. “These, at any rate, are no reasons why Mrs. Temperley should put up with his manner!”