“What! the excellent Carlino is a considerate husband?” and the gentlemen laughed as though they thought it a huge joke. “He is a model of all the domestic virtues, is he not, milady?”
“I don’t know what that means; but if it means that father is good, of course he is.”
The gentlemen laughed again, which made Philippa angry.
“I don’t think it’s nice to laugh about father like that when we are there. Please, grandpa, we’re all very tired with the train, and mother is worried, I’m sure. Oh no, it must be that she’s so glad to know you are so much better than she expected. But I think she ought to rest a little. Can we get rooms here, do you think?”
“Delightful English common-sense!” cried Philippa’s enemy; but the O’Malachy interposed promptly.
“Of course you can, Phil. The waiter thought of that long ago, and has gone to see after them. I hear um coming back now, and he has your maid with um. I daresay you will like to see your rooms, Nadia. You don’t look fit to talk to-night; but I’ll hope to find you fresh and rested in the morning.”
Roused from her stunned condition by his words, Nadia rose, and, bowing coldly to the company, left the room with the children. While her mother was settling matters with the servants outside, Philippa discovered that she had left her cap behind, and ordered Usk to come back with her and fetch it. But the thought of traversing the long room again under the eyes of the diners was too much for Usk, and Philippa pushed the door open quietly, and went in by herself, to find her grandfather leaning over the table and talking earnestly in French, for the benefit, apparently, of a gentleman who had only just joined the party. The children were accustomed to speak French almost as regularly as English with their mother, and Philippa caught the words—
“The Jewess and her boy have put themselves in our power by coming here. We seize them and the Count at one blow, then proclaim our friend king, call out our people, and march on Bellaviste.”
“But what if our friend prove restive?”
“That will probably be the case; but we must find means to quiet him, and if all expedients fail, there is the boy. The Bishop would like that better. By all the——! what are you doing here, Philippa?”