“I don’t know, I’m sure, sir,” was the woman’s reply, in a voice which showed how deeply she regretted the occurrence.
“How long was she here?” I inquired.
“About five minutes. She asked me to let her see your sitting-room and the reading-books with the embossed letters, as she was much interested in you, and had heard so much of you from Lady Durrant.”
“And you showed them to her?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Then you had no right to do so without my permission, Parker,” I said angrily. “You are an old and trusted servant, and should have known better.”
“I’m very sorry, sir. The truth was that she seemed such a well-spoken lady, and her manner was so perfect that I thought you would not like to offend her.”
“Recollect that if any other persons call they are not to enter my rooms on any pretext,” I said decisively.
“Very well, sir. I acknowledge that I was entirely in the wrong in allowing her to pry about the place.”
“And when she had gone?”