"Oh, look!" she said, before Dick had time to switch on another light.
"Nelson's got tired of his club, and come home!"
As she spoke, almost as if she had willed it, the door opened. But it was
not Knight who came out. It was the younger Charrington, the chauffeur,
called "Char," to distinguish him from his solemn elder brother, the
butler.
The red-haired, red-faced, black-eyed young man stopped suddenly at sight
of the newcomers. He had evidently expected to find the hall untenanted.
Taking up his stand before the door, he barred the way with his tall,
liveried figure, and it struck Constance that he looked aggressive, as
if, had he dared, he would have shut the door again, almost in her face.
"I beg your pardon, madame!" he said in so loud a voice that it was like
a warning to his master that an intruder might be expected. It occurred
to her also, for the first time, that his accent sounded rather American,
and he had forgotten to address her as "my lady."
This was odd, for his brother was the most typical British butler
imaginable, as Nelson had remarked soon after the two servants had been
engaged.
Pages:
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228