Noel Vanstone. You
wished to see me--here I am!"
"May I be permitted to retire, sir?" inquired Mrs. Lecount.
"Certainly not!" replied her master. "Stay here, Lecount, and keep
us company. Mrs. Lecount has my fullest confidence," he continued,
addressing Magdalen. "Whatever you say to me, ma'am, you say to her. She
is a domestic treasure. There is not another house in England has such a
treasure as Mrs. Lecount."
The housekeeper listened to the praise of her domestic virtues with
eyes immovably fixed on her elegant chemisette. But Magdalen's quick
penetration had previously detected a look that passed between Mrs.
Lecount and her master, which suggested that Noel Vanstone had been
instructed beforehand what to say and do in his visitor's presence.
The suspicion of this, and the obstacles which the room presented to
arranging her position in it so as to keep her face from the light,
warned Magdalen to be on her guard.
She had taken her chair at first nearly midway in the room. An instant's
after-reflection induced her to move her seat toward the left hand, so
as to place herself just inside, and close against, the left post of the
folding-door.
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