oom prepared for Augustus was some way down
the corridor, on the right, she left me in McGreggor's hands.

With great promptness the luggage had been carried up, so I was not
long getting into a tea-gown.

Augustus and Lady Grenellen would have arrived by the time I got down
to the hall again. They ought to have been here before me, but no
doubt the train was late.

The soft _crepe de chine_ of my skirts made no _frou-frou_. Antony
did not see me as I looked over the bend of the stairs descending; he
was staring into the fire, an expression I have never seen before on
his face.

I stopped. Presently he looked up.

"How silently you came, Comtesse! I did not hear you."

"You were thinking deeply. Upon what grave matters of state?"

"None at all. Do you know Lady Grenellen and your husband have not
arrived? The brougham has with difficulty returned from the station
after waiting until the train was in, and there was no sign of them."

A joy, unbidden and instantly suppressed, pervaded me as he spoke.

"Perhaps they missed the train and will catch the next," I hazarded.

"The fog in London is quite exceptional, the guard said. I have given
orders for the coachman to return and try for the next train. It gets
in at 6:42. After that there is one at 7, and the last one is at
10:18. But they will probably telegraph."

"It makes me laugh," I said.

"Come and have tea. We shall not bother our heads about them. They
are, fortunately, well able to take care of themselves."

Antony led the way to the library, where the tea was laid out.

I never have sat in such a comfortable sofa or felt more cosily at
home. Everything pleased me. All is in perfect taste.

Antony talked to me gayly as he gave me some tea. It was as if he
wanted to remove the least feeling of awkwardness this unusual
situation might possibly cause me to feel.

Ulfus, Belfus, and Bedevere had followed us, and now lay, like three
grim guardians, upon the tiger-skin hearth-rug.

"How is your arm?" I asked.

"Oh, that is all right. I had the shot taken out and it has quite
healed up. Wonderful escape we had that day!" And he laughed.

"And you were so good about it! Augustus said he would have shot back
if Mr. Dodd had hit him."

"Mrs. Dodd would have made a nice target. One does not often come
across a person like that. Are all your guests at Ledstone of the
same sort as those I met?"

"No. Some of them are worse," I replied, gravely, smili