Before he could answer, she had slipped back through the crowd, and was in her former place, near the two older ladies. The attention of the lesser folk was upon the London people, who were concerned only with one another, and the tall gentleman was still engaged with the woman of the inn. No one had observed Georgiana.
CHAPTER V
RISKS
At last the tall gentleman turned to his friends. Everell saw Georgiana disappear into the coach with the older ladies; saw the two gentlemen spring into the chaise, after casting doles to the yard servants; saw the two maids established upon outside seats, the valets mounted, the postilion up before the chaise, the coachman gather his reins and whip; saw the procession move off, with Caleb at the head to show the way, the coach next, the chaise following, and the trim London lackey riding behind all the rest. Everell followed as far as to the door, where still stood Roughwood. The coach had already turned down the High Street.
“She’s gone,” said he. “But not far—only to Foxwell Court.”
“Pray, where and what is Foxwell Court?” asked Roughwood, leading him by the arm into the parlour.
“I know not, but ’tis easily learned.”
“No doubt, but we shall do better to restrain our curiosity. I trust we shall have nothing more to excite it—or to tempt you to mingle unnecessarily in miscellaneous crowds from inn kitchens.”
“My dear Will,” cried Everell, “my going among that crowd was a stroke of heaven-sent luck. I received a most valuable warning—and from her, too! Think of it, those sweet lips, those heavenly eyes, that—”
“Warning? What do you mean?”