I caught Sir Percival looking at
him for approval more than once in the course of the evening.
June 17th.--A day of events. I most fervently hope I may not have
to add, a day of disasters as well.
Sir Percival was as silent at breakfast as he had been the evening
before, on the subject of the mysterious "arrangement" (as the
lawyer called it) which is hanging over our heads. An hour
afterwards, however, he suddenly entered the morning-room, where
his wife and I were waiting, with our hats on, for Madame Fosco to
join us, and inquired for the Count.
"We expect to see him here directly," I said.
"The fact is," Sir Percival went on, walking nervously about the
room, "I want Fosco and his wife in the library, for a mere
business formality, and I want you there, Laura, for a minute
too." He stopped, and appeared to notice, for the first time, that
we were in our walking costume. "Have you just come in?" he
asked, "or were you just going out?"
"We were all thinking of going to the lake this morning," said
Laura. "But if you have any other arrangement to propose----"
"No, no," he answered hastily. "My arrangement can wait. After
lunch will do as well for it as after breakfast.
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