FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134  
135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   >>   >|  
noticed it." Mr. Weatherley relit his cigar, which had gone out while he dozed. "Thought we'd like a little country air ourselves for the week-end," he remarked. "Will you smoke?" Arnold shook his head. "Not just now, thank you, sir. Is that the river through the trees there?" Mr. Weatherley nodded. "It's about a hundred yards down the stream," he replied. "Bourne End is the nearest station. The cottage belongs to my brother-in-law--Sabatini. I believe he's coming down later on. Any news at the office yesterday morning?" "There was nothing whatever requiring your attention, sir," Arnold said. "There are a few letters which we have kept over for to-morrow, but nothing of importance." Mr. Weatherley pursed his lips and nodded. He asked a further question or two concerning the business and then turned his head at the sound of approaching footsteps. Ruth, looking very pale and fragile, was leaning on the arm of a man-servant. Fenella walked on the other side, her lace parasol drooping over her shoulder, her head turned towards Ruth's, whose shyness she was doing her best to melt. Mr. Weatherley rose hastily from his chair. "God bless my soul!" he declared. "I didn't know--you didn't tell me--" "Miss Lalonde has been a great sufferer," Arnold said. "She has been obliged to spend a good deal of her time lying down. For that reason, to-day has been such a pleasure to her." He hurried forward and took the butler's place. Together they installed her in the most comfortable chair. Mr. Weatherley came over and shook hands with her. "Pretty place, this, Miss Lalonde, isn't it?" he remarked. "It's a real nice change for business men like Mr. Chetwode and myself to get down here for an hour or two's quiet." "It is wonderfully beautiful," she answered. "It is so long since I was out of London that perhaps I appreciate it more, even, than either of you." "What part of London do you live in?" Fenella asked her. "My uncle and I have rooms in the same house as Mr. Chetwode," she replied. "It is in Adam Street, off the Strand." "Not much air there this hot weather, I don't suppose," Mr. Weatherley remarked. "We are on the top floor," she replied, "and it is the end house, nearest to the river. Still, one feels the change here." Tea was brought out by the butler, assisted by a trim parlor-maid. Fenella presided. The note of domesticity which her action involved seemed to Arnold, for some reason o
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134  
135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Weatherley
 

Arnold

 

replied

 

Fenella

 

remarked

 
London
 
change
 

butler

 
Chetwode
 

nearest


turned

 

business

 
Lalonde
 

nodded

 
reason
 

pleasure

 
obliged
 
hurried
 

forward

 

Pretty


comfortable

 

Together

 

installed

 

weather

 

suppose

 

brought

 

assisted

 

involved

 

action

 

domesticity


parlor

 
presided
 

Strand

 

wonderfully

 

beautiful

 
answered
 

Street

 
sufferer
 

walked

 
belongs

brother
 

Sabatini

 
cottage
 
station
 

stream

 

Bourne

 
coming
 

requiring

 
attention
 

morning