Incidentally he mentioned that he had given up boating and athletic
exercises, under Mr. Carnegie's direction. Bessie only smiled, and
reflected that it was odd to hear of Harry Musgrave taking care of
himself. One visitor from England on a day would have been enough, but
by a curious coincidence, as they sat all at ease, through the open
window from the court there sounded another English voice, demanding
Madame Fournier and Miss Fairfax.
"Who can it be?" said Bessie, and she craned her fair neck to look,
while a rosy red suffused her face from chin to brow.
The canon and madame laid down their knives and forks to listen, and
involuntarily everybody's eyes turned upon Harry. He could not forbear a
smile and a glance of intelligence at Bessie; for he had an instant
suspicion that this new-comer was an emissary from Mr. Fairfax, and from
her agitation so had she. Launcelot held a short, prompt parley at the
gate, then Babette intervened, and next was audible the advance of a
firm, even step into the hall, and the closing of the _salon_ door.
"Encore un beau monsieur pour mademoiselle," announced the housekeeper,
and handed in a card inscribed with the name of "Mr. Cecil Burleigh,"
and a letter of introduction from Mr. Fairfax.
Bessie's heart went pit-a-pat while madame read the letter, and Harry
feared that he would probably have to find his way to the Tapestry
without a guide. Madame's countenance was inscrutable, but she said to
Bessie, "Calme-toi, mon enfant," and finished her meal with extreme
deliberation.
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