"No," replied Flora; "I never saw them, neither can I imagine what is their object in coming here."
"Did you ever see them before?" inquired Henry of his mother, who held up her hand to look more carefully at the strangers; then, shaking her head, she declared she had never seen such persons as those.
"I dare say not," said Charles Holland. "They certainly are not gentlemen; but here they come; there is some mistake, I daresay—they don't want to come here."
As they spoke, the two strangers got down; after picking up a topcoat they had let fall, they turned round, and deliberately put it into the chaise again; they walked up the path to the door, at which they knocked.
The door was opened by the old woman, when the two men entered.
"Does Francis Beauchamp live here?"
"Eh?" said the old woman, who was a little deaf, and she put her hand behind her ear to catch the sounds more distinctly—"eh?—who did you say?"
Sir Francis Varney started as the sounds came upon his ear, but he sat still an attentive listener.
"Are there any strangers in the house?" inquired the other officer, impatiently. "Who is here?"
"Strangers!" said the old woman; "you are the only strangers that I have seen here."