“Impossible that you can be admitted,” he said stiffly. “His lordship is dining.”
“Nevertheless, I must see him,” I answered grimly. “And I am on the king’s service, my friend. It occurs to me, therefore, that you will do well to announce me without further waste of time if you would save yourself present trouble.”
I suppose that there was a look in my eyes that showed him I was not a man to be trifled with, for without more ado he noiselessly crossed the hall and ushered me into a richly furnished room, where he left me to my own devices.
I have said that the apartment was richly furnished, but a second scrutiny convinced me of the error of my first impression. The light of the setting sun flaming through the windows fell upon the heavy gilt furniture and mirrors, the Oriental carpets and hangings, serving but to increase their appearance of general gaudiness. There was that, indeed, about the whole which bespoke a certain amount of wealth, but of wealth coupled with ill taste. I contrasted the room with that other one at Cleeve which I had so lately left, and it was to the latter’s distinct advantage. For the rest, opposite me was a door, half concealed by a thick curtain, and near the hearth stood a small table littered with papers, and upon which lay a man’s hat and riding gloves. It may have been ten minutes that I waited thus impatiently, keeping an eye upon the street without, ere the door behind me opened and a woman entered the room.
It needed but a glance to assure me that this was the Mistress Maddon, and she was well in keeping, both in dress and appearance, with her surroundings.
Doubtless she had at one time been handsome in a bold, masculine way, but she was now past her prime, and the resources of art could not conceal the ravages of time. Nay, if anything, they tended rather to increase them. On a sudden a vision of my lady rose before my eyes, and I gazed on the smirking, beruddled face of the woman before me with a sense of deepening disgust.
She was the first to break the silence.
“You wish to see Sir Richard Danvers?” she said, advancing.
“Such is my desire, madam,” I answered, bowing.
“And one which I fear cannot be gratified,” she replied, “for ’tis his Lordship’s invariable custom to sleep after dining.”