“Why—-” began Percy, and recoiled.
“Mr. Phillips!” he said.
The other threw out his hands.
“It is I, sir—your Eminence—this moment arrived. It is life and death. Your servant tells me—-”
“Who sent you?”
“Father Blackmore.”
“Good news or bad?”
The man rolled his eyes towards the servant, who still stood erect and offended a yard away; and Percy understood.
He put his hand on the other’s arm, drawing him through the doorway.
“Tap upon this door in two minutes, James,” he said.