England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction; English fiction -- 19th century
On his knocking at the Carnabys' door, a servant informed him that
neither her master nor her mistress was at home. Something unusual in
the girl's manner at once arrested his attention; she was evidently
disinclined to say anything beyond the formula of refusal, but with
this Harvey would not be satisfied. He mentioned his name, and urged
several inquiries, on the plea that he had urgent business with his
friends. All he could gather was that Carnaby had left home early this
morning, and that Mrs. Carnaby was out of town; it grew more evident
that the girl shrank from questions.
'Has anyone been here before me, anxious to see them?'
'I don't know, sir; I can't tell you anything else.'
'And you have no idea when either of them will be back?'
'I don't know at all; I don't know anything about it.'
He turned away, as if to descend the stairs; but, as there was no sound
of a closing door, he glanced back, and caught a glimpse of the
servant, who stood looking after him. No sooner did their eyes meet
than the girl drew hastily in and the door was shut.
Beset by a grave uneasiness, he walked into Edgware Road, and followed
the thoroughfare to its end at the Marble Arch. One thing seemed
certain: neither Carnaby nor his wife could be at Prince's Hall. It was
equally certain that only a serious cause could have prevented their
attendance. The servant manifestly had something to conceal; under
ordinary circumstances she would never have spoken and behaved in that
strange way.
At the Marble Arch boys were crying newspapers. He bought two, and in
each of them found the sensational headlines; but the reports added
nothing to that he had already seen; all, it was clear, came from the
same source.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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