She stood in the hall looking round with a kind of indolent admiration and surprise, and perfectly self-possessed, though the hall was rapidly filling with the men from the garden.
"You would like to go to your rooms at once," said Sir Stephen, in his serene and courtly voice.

"If you should be too tired to come down again to-night I will have some dinner sent up to you--but I hope you won't be.

It would be a great disappointment." "Oh, I am not at all tired," said Miss Falconer, as she followed the housekeeper and the two demure maids up the exquisite staircase.
Sir Stephen looked after them with a bland smile, then he turned to Stafford and caught his arm.
"Not hurt, my boy ?" he said, in a tone of strained anxiety.
Stafford was beginning to get tired of the question, and answered rather impatiently: "Not in the least sir--why should I be! I'll change my things and be down in five minutes!" "Yes, yes!" Sir Stephen still eyed him with barely concealed anxiety.
"Strange coincidence, Stafford! I--I haven't seen Ralph Falconer for--for--ever so many years! And he is thrown at my very gate! And they say there is no such thing as Fate--" "Hadn't you better go into the drawing-room, sir," Stafford reminded him.

"They'll think something has happened." "Eh?
Yes, yes, of course!" said Sir Stephen, with a little start as if he had been lost in thought; but he waited until he saw Stafford walk up the stairs, without any sign of a limp, before he followed his son's advice.
The butler, who was too sharp to need any instructions, quickly served a choice little dinner for the unexpected guests, and Stafford, who had waited in the hall, accompanied them into the dining-room.

Miss Falconer had changed her travelling-dress for a rich evening-frock, and the jewels Stafford had noticed were supplemented by some remarkably fine diamonds.
"I wish you had come in time for dinner!" he said, as he conducted her to her seat.
"So do I!" she returned, serenely.