The cook looked away from Mrs. Lecount with an
effort--signed her name in a violent hurry--and looked back again with
a start, as if she expected to see a loaded pistol (produced in the
interval) in the housekeeper's hands. "Thank you," said Mrs. Lecount,
in her friendliest manner. The cook shut up her lips aggressively and
looked at her master. "You may go!" said her master. The cook coughed
contemptuously, and went.
"We shan't keep you long," said Mrs. Lecount, dismissing the coachman.
"In half an hour, or less, we shall be ready for the journey back."
The coachman's austere countenance relaxed for the first time. He smiled
mysteriously, and approached Mrs. Lecount on tiptoe.
"Ye'll no forget one thing, my leddy," he said, with the most
ingratiating politeness. "Ye'll no forget the witnessing as weel as the
driving, when ye pay me for my day's wark!" He laughed with guttural
gravity; and, leaving his atmosphere behind him, stalked out of the
room.
"Lecount," said Noel Vanstone, as soon as the coachman closed the door,
"did I hear you tell that man we should be ready in half an hour?"
"Yes, sir."
"Are you blind?"
He asked the question with an angry stamp of his foot.
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