"Oh, dear no, not at all. He is by no means stupid."
"I retract; I ought not to have made use of the expression."
"I will keep it to myself in strict confidence," she replied, with a smile.
The door opened, and a maid said—
"Shall I light the lamps, sir?"
"Please."
The room was soon aglow with a soft, delicate light, and as the maid went out she said to herself—
"Well, I never. The ways of these gentry are past me. Fancy her sitting like that, and going to stop here all night. It's not respectable."
She was a new maid, with a narrow mind and a relaxable conscience, which could be stretched to any required length to suit her own purposes.
The maid, the luggage, and Bob Heather duly arrived. Bob had taken good care Mary Marley should not be cold during the drive.