They
walked on in silence, and were met presently by a gentleman who was
coming along the village street at a sharp pace. A lamp discovered
Mr. Willis Rodman. Richard stopped.
'Seen to that little business?' he asked, in a cheerful voice.
'Yes,' was Rodman's reply. 'We shall hear from Agworth in the
morning.'
'All right.--Alice, this is Mr. Rodman.--My sister, Rodman.'
Richard's right-hand man performed civilities with decidedly more
finish than Richard himself had at command.
'I am very happy to meet Miss Mutimer. I hope we shall have the
pleasure of showing her New Wanley to-morrow.'
'She and Miss Waltham will walk down in the morning. Good night,
Rodman. Cold, eh?'
'Why didn't you introduce him this afternoon?' Alice asked as she
walked on.
'I didn't think of it--I was bothered.'
'He seems very gentlemanly.'
'Oh, Rodman's seen a deal of life. He's a useful fellow--gets
through work in a wonderful way.'
'But _is_ he a gentleman? I mean, was he once?'
Richard laughed.
'I suppose you mean, had he ever money? No, he's made himself what
he is.'
Tea having supplied the place of the more substantial evening meal,
Richard and his sister had supper about ten o'clock. Alice drank
champagne; a few bottles remained from those dedicated to the recent
festival, and Mutimer felt the necessity of explaining the presence
in his house of a luxury which to his class is more than anything
associated with the bloated aristocracy.
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