They went into the library and Toft pulled off his master’s boots and brought his slippers and the spirit-tray. That done, he lingered, and Basset thought that he was trying to divine from the old man’s looks whether the journey had been fruitful.
In the end, however, the man had to go, and Audley leant forward to speak.
“Wait!” Basset muttered. “He is coming back.”
“How do you know?”
Basset raised his hand. The door opened. Toft came in. “I forgot to take your boots, sir,” he said.
“Well, take them now,” his master replied peevishly. When the man had again withdrawn, “How did you know?” he asked, frowning at the fire.
“I saw him go to take your boots—and leave them.”
Audley was silent for a time, then “Well,” he said, “he has been with me many years and I think he is faithful.”
“To his own interests. He dogged you to-night.”
“So did you!”