"'Tis Mr. Coventry himself, miss," she announced. "He didn't inquire if any
one was at home, but just followed me in and asked me to tell Master Robin
he was here."
Ann rose reluctantly from her knees, dusting her hands together.
"All right, Maria, I'll go down and see him. Perhaps he can leave a message
with me for Robin. I hope, though," she added with a faint sense of
irritation, "that he isn't going to make a habit of dropping in here in the
mornings."
Only pausing to push back a stray lock of hair, she ran quickly downstairs
and into the living-room.
"I'm so sorry"--she began speaking almost as she crossed the
threshold--"but my brother is out."
With a stifled ejaculation the man standing in the shadow of the tall,
old-fashioned chimneypiece wheeled round, and Ann found herself looking
straight into the grey eyes of the Englishman from Montricheux. For a
moment there was a silence--the silence of utter mutual astonishment, while
Ann was wretchedly conscious of the flush that mounted slowly to her very
temples. The man was the first to recover himself.
"So," he said, "_you_ are Miss Lovell!"
Something in his tone stung Ann into composure.
"Yes," she replied coolly.
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