“It feels wrong to be happy when such things are going on,” said Penelope, pursuing a train of thought of her own, apparently. “Can nothing be done?”
“Ask the Chief, if you care to,” said Sir Dugald. “He’s coming to dinner to-morrow.”
“It really is most unfortunate,” said Lady Haigh, on housewifely thoughts intent, “that if there is any difficulty with the servants some one is sure to come to dinner. I know this new cook will lose his head and do something dreadful. I think you ought to warn Major Keeling, Dugald.”
“The Chief never cares much what he eats or drinks,” was the reply; “and he certainly won’t to-morrow,” added Sir Dugald, too low for Penelope to hear.
Lady Haigh’s fears were justified. A few minutes before the dinner hour she ran into Penelope’s room, looking worried and hot.
“Oh, Pen, you’re ready! What a good thing! That wretched cook has ruined the soup, and we can’t have dinner for half an hour. I’ve been scolding him and trying to suggest improvements all this time, and I’m not dressed. Go and talk to Major Keeling till I come. Dugald won’t be in for twenty minutes. Such a chapter of accidents!”
Nevertheless, Lady Haigh’s voice had not the despairing tone which might have been expected in the circumstances, and she ran out of the room again with a haste which seemed calculated to conceal a smile. So Penelope imagined, and the suspicion was confirmed when Major Keeling came to meet her as she entered the drawing-room—he had been tramping up and down in his impatient way—and remarked innocently—
“At last! Lady Haigh promised to let me see you alone, but I was beginning to be afraid she had not been able to manage it. I have been waiting for hours.”
“Oh no, only ten minutes. I saw you ride up,” said Penelope, and turned crimson because she had confessed to the heinous crime of watching him through the venetians.
“You knew I was here, and you left me alone—and the time seemed so short to you! Well, it only confirms what I had been thinking—— Don’t let me keep you standing. May I sit here? Do you remember, that evening at Bab-us-Sahel, when I saw you first, you promised to leave Alibad at the shortest possible notice if I considered it advisable?”