Alice glanced inquiringly at him, but Claude appeared to be engrossed in the carving of a chicken, and took no notice of her inquiring looks.
When breakfast was over, Sir William went into the library, where he generally spent the morning looking over the newspapers and writing his letters.
We went up to Evelyn's room. I thought Alice wanted to linger behind, that she might speak to Claude; but he did not seem disposed to take the hint, and followed me closely upstairs.
We found Evelyn lying on the sofa, and waiting for me to show her how to do a new pattern in crochet work, which I had learnt from Aunt Jane, who was very clever with her fingers. I sat down on a low stool close to Evelyn, directing her as she worked; and Alice and Claude went to the other end of the room, into the large bow window.
Claude had brought a newspaper upstairs with him, and, throwing himself into an arm-chair, he began to read it, with an air which plainly intimated that he did not wish to be disturbed.
Alice Fitzgerald came behind him, and leaning over his shoulder, with her arm on the back of the chair, she seemed to be reading the newspaper with him. But after a minute or two I heard her say:
"Let me see that letter, Claude; what was it about?"
"Oh, it was nothing particular," said Claude, turning to another part of the newspaper; "it was only a business letter."
"That's always the way with men," said Evelyn, laughing; "whenever they don't want you to see a letter they always say, 'It's only a business letter.' Papa always does so, and it's of no use my telling him that I like business letters; he only laughs and says, 'Women don't understand business, or, if they do, they ought not.'"
But Alice Fitzgerald did not let the matter drop. In a few minutes I heard her ask again from whom the letter had come, and Claude answered in a vexed tone: