The Governor's Lady Read Online Free PDF Page B

side, he was observing Sir Gardnor all the time.
    Sir Gardnor raised the claret to his nostrils, and closed his eyes as he did so. A sudden hush had come over the room, and the silence remained as Sir Gardnor slowly and very deliberately sniffed. Then he opened his eyes, and the tension was over.
    He turned towards Harold: the warm, sweet glare of his smile was now full on him.
    â€˜I think you’ll find that, for its age, it’s travelled well,’ he said. ‘You must give us your opinion.’
    Harold remembered his cue, and the question came blurting out.
    â€˜Is it Barton?’ he asked.
    Mr. Frith gave a short, nervous cough, but Sir Gardnor ignored the question altogether.
    â€˜And what are they drinking in Cambridge these days?’ he enquired. ‘In my time it was St. Julien, and a rather cheap Pommard mostly.’
    He glanced across at Mr. Frith. It was only a half-smile, this time; a mere token.
    â€˜Which bungalow is Mr. Stebbs having?’ he asked. ‘Have you put him somewhere near you?’
    Mr. Frith had been perspiring heavily ever since he had sat down. He kept running his handkerchief over his forehead. And, hot as he was, he suddenly appeared hotter.
    â€˜Sorry, Excellency,’ he said. ‘There isn’t a bungalow. Not till the end of the month, that is.’ He cleared his throat as he was speaking, and gave a rather silly little laugh. ‘Mr. Stebbs is at the Royal Albert, sir. Nice room. You’re all right where you are, aren’t you, Stebbs?’
    Before Harold could reply Sir Gardnor had intervened.
    â€˜But I thought that a bungalow was understood. For Mr. Stebbs’s sake, you know. As well as mine. I couldn’t allow my papers to be left lying about in a hotel, now could I?’
    This time the pause was so long that it was obvious that, for once, he actually expected an answer.
    â€˜I suppose I could turn someone out, Excellency,’ he began.
    Sir Gardnor, however, was not listening. He was addressing the A.D.C. instead.
    â€˜Our own bungalow,’ he said triumphantly. ‘The one that poor Miles had. That’s free, isn’t it?’
    The A.D.C. winced slightly.
    â€˜No staff, sir. Not for the moment.’
    Sir Gardnor raised his eyebrows.
    â€˜Then they can service it from the House,’ he said. ‘We shall be away for a week. Possibly ten days. Perhaps longer. It’s difficult to tell, isn’t it? You can fix up permanent staff for Mr. Stebbs when we get back. And you, Mr. Frith, can dismiss it from your mind, can’t you? It’s all solved.’
    He was smiling again as he said it, but he was also drumming with his fingers on the table-top.
    â€˜You do see my point, Mr. Stebbs, don’t you? You’ll need to work on it in the evenings. Most evenings, I’m afraid. And I’m sure you’d much rather be on your own, wouldn’t you?’
    Harold started to thank him, but Sir Gardnor’s attention had already strayed. He was looking hard at Harold’s glass.
    â€˜You approve, then?’ he asked. ‘And what year would
you
say it was?’
    Dinner was already finished when the A.D.C. got up, and went over to the door. There was a whispered conversation. Then the A.D.C. came back, and stood behind Sir Gardnor’s chair.
    â€˜It’s Major Hastings, sir,’ he said. ‘The General asked him to come over.’
    Sir Gardnor continued with the business of lighting his cigar.
    â€˜Well ask him to come in,’ he replied. ‘It’s no good leaving him out there, is it?’
    The cigar was drawing nicely by now, and Sir Gardnor seemed in the best of spirits. He was smiling.
    His really big smile, however, was reserved for Major Hastings.
    â€˜Ah, come in, Major,’ he said, springing to his feet, as though his whole evening had suddenly been made for him. ‘You haven’t come across specially, have you?’
    Major Hastings came