"That's all right," he replied. "Listen. Don't say a word about my arrival to your mistress at present. I have some writing to do. Bring me a gla.s.s of sherry at once, or mix a c.o.c.ktail if you can do so without being missed, and take Jimmy away and give him some whisky and soda."

"But what about your own dinner, sir?"

"I'll have a tray in the gun room," his master decided, "say in twenty minutes' time. And, Mills, who did you say were dining?"

"Two of the young officers from the Depot, sir--Mr. Harrison and Mr.

Sinclair--and Mr. Hamar Lessingham."

"Lessingham, eh?" Sir Henry repeated, as he seated himself before his writing-table. "Mills," he added, in a confidential whisper, "what port did you serve?"

The butler's expression was one of conscious rect.i.tude.

"Not the vintage, sir," he announced with emphasis. "Some very excellent wood port, which we procured for shooting luncheons. The young gentlemen like it."

"You're a jewel, Mills," his master declared. "Now you understand--an aperitif for me now, some whisky for Jimmy in your room, and not a word about my being here. Good night, Jimmy. Sorry we were too late for the mackerel, but we had some grand sport, all the same. You'll have a day or two's rest ash.o.r.e now."

"Aye, aye, sir!" Dumble replied. "We got in just in time. There's something more than a squall coming up nor'ards."

Sir Henry listened for a moment. The French windows shook, the rain beat against the panes, and a dull booming of wind was clearly audible from outside.

"We timed that excellently," he agreed. "Come up and have a chat to-morrow, Jimmy, if your wife will spare you."

"I'll be round before eleven, sir," the fisherman promised, with a grin.

Sir Henry waited for the closing of the door. Then he leaned forward for several moments. He had scarcely the appearance of a man returned from a week or two of open-air life and indulgence in the sport he loved best.

The healthy tan of his complexion was lessened rather than increased.

There were black lines under his eyes which seemed to speak of sleepless nights, and a beard of several days' growth was upon his chin. He drank the c.o.c.ktail which Mills presently brought him, at a gulp, and watched with satisfaction while the mixer was vigorously shaken and a second one poured out.

"We've had a rough time, Mills," he observed, as he set down the gla.s.s.

"Until this morning it scarcely left off blowing."

"I'm sorry to hear it, sir," was the respectful reply. "If I may be allowed to say so, sir, you're looking tired."

"I am tired," Sir Henry admitted. "I think, if I tried, I could go to sleep now for twenty-four hours."

"You will pardon my reminding you, so far as regards your letters, that there is no post out tonight, sir," Mills proceeded. "I have prepared a warm bath and laid out your clothes for a change."

"Capital!" Sir Henry exclaimed. "It isn't a letter that's bothering me, though, Mills. There are just a few geographical notes I want to make.

You know, I'm trying to improve the fishermen's chart of the coast round here. That fellow Grooc.o.c.k--Jimmy Dumble's uncle--very nearly lost his motor boat last week through trusting to the old one."

"Just so, sir," Mills replied deferentially, placing the empty gla.s.s upon his tray. "If you'll excuse me, sir, I must get back to the dining room."

"Quite right," his master a.s.sented. "They won't be out just yet, will they?"

"Her ladyship will probably be rising in about ten minutes, sir--not before that."

Sir Henry nodded a little impatiently. Directly the door was closed he rose to his feet, stood for a moment listening by the side of his fishing cabinet, then opened the gla.s.s front and touched the spring.

With the aid of a little electric torch which he took from his pocket, he studied particularly a certain portion of the giant chart, made some measurements with a pencil, some notes in the margin, and closed it up again with an air of satisfaction. Then he resumed his seat, drew a folded slip of paper from his breast pocket, a chart from another, turned up the lamp and began to write. His face, as he stooped low, escaped the soft shade and was for a moment almost ghastly. Every now and then he turned and made some calculations on the blotting-paper by his side. At last he leaned back with a little sigh of relief. He had barely done so before the door behind him was opened.

"Are we going to stay in here, Mummy, or are we going into the drawing-room?" Nora asked.

"In here, I think," he heard Philippa reply.

Then they both came in, followed by Helen. Nora was the first to see him and rushed forward with a little cry of surprise.

"Why, here's Dad!" she exclaimed, flinging her arms around his neck.

"Daddy, how dare you be sitting here all by yourself whilst we are having dinner! When did you get back? What a fish!"

Sir Henry closed down his desk, embraced his daughter, and came forward to meet his wife.

"Fine fellow, isn't he, Nora!" he agreed. "Well, Philippa, how are you?

Pleased to see me, I hope? Another new frock, I believe, and in war time!"

"Fancy your remembering that it was war time!" she answered, standing very still while he leaned over and kissed her.

"Nasty one for me," Sir Henry observed good-humouredly. "How well you're looking, Helen! Any news of d.i.c.k yet?"

Helen attempted an expression of extreme gravity with more or less success.

"Nothing fresh," she answered.

"Well, well, no news may be good news," Sir Henry remarked consolingly.

"Jove, it's good to feel a roof over one's head again! This morning has been the only patch of decent weather we've had."

"This morning was lovely," Helen a.s.sented. "Philippa and I went and sat up in the woods."

Philippa, who was standing by the fire, turned and looked at her husband critically.

"We have some men dining," she said. "They will be out in a few minutes.

Don't you think you had better go and make yourself presentable? You smell of fish, and you look as though you hadn't shaved for a week."

"Guilty, my dear," Sir Henry admitted. "Mills is just getting me something to eat in the gun room, and then I am going to have a bath and change my clothes."

"And shave, Dad," Nora reminded him.

"And shave, you young pest," her father agreed, patting her on the shoulder. "Run away and play billiards with Helen. I want to talk to your mother until my dinner's ready."

Nora acquiesced promptly.

"Come along, Helen, I'll give you twenty-five up. Or perhaps you'd like to play sh.e.l.l out?" she proposed. "Arthur Sinclair says I have improved in my potting more than any one he ever knew."

Sir Henry opened the door and closed it after them. Then he returned and seated himself on the lounge by Philippa's side. She glanced up at him as though in surprise, and, stretching out her hand towards her work-basket, took up some knitting.

"I really think I should change at once, if I were you," she suggested.

"Presently. I had a sort of foolish idea that I'd like to have a word or two with you first. I've been away for nearly a fortnight, haven't I?"

"You have," Philippa a.s.sented. "Perhaps that is the reason why I feel that I haven't very much to say to you."