“I wonder if I can take in the lamps now, Mr. Theodore? It’s getting so dark, sir.”
There was a troubled sound in her voice, and the young man stopped and looked at her with some surprise. “Of course you can, Jane,” he said quickly, “why not? Why haven’t you taken them in before?”
“I did go in with them half an hour ago, sir, but the master told me to take them out again. There’s firelight, to be sure, and it’s only Major Lane in there, but he’s been here since three o’clock, and master’s not had his tea yet. I suppose they thought they’d wait till you came in.”
“Oh! well, if my father prefers to sit in the dark, and to put off tea till he can have my company, you had better wait till I ring, and then bring in the lamps and the tea together.” He spoke with his usual light good-nature, and then passed on, and so into the room which was the only apartment in the large old house clearly associated in his mind with the graceful, visionary figure of his young mother.
Thomas Carden and the Head Constable were sitting in the twilight, one on each side of the fireplace, and when the young man came in they both stirred perceptibly and abruptly stopped speaking.
Theodore came forward and stood on the hearth-rug.
“May Jane bring in the lamps, father?”
“Yes, yes, I suppose so.”
And the lamps were brought in. Then came the tea-tray, placed by Jane on a large table several paces from the fire. Very deliberately, and asking no questions as to milk or sugar, for well he knew the tastes of his father and of his father’s friend, he poured out two cups of tea, and, turning, advanced, a cup balanced in each steady hand.