"And so you know Glebeshire, Mr. Cardinal! Fancy! I've never been
there--never been there in my life. Fancy that! Although so many of
my relations live there. I once nearly went down, one wet Christmas,
and I was going to stay with my aunt, but something happened to
prevent me. I think I caught a cold at the time. I can't quite
remember. But fancy you knowing Glebeshire so well!"
All this came out in a voice that might have issued from a
gramophone, so little did it represent Grace's real feelings or
emotions. Maggie knew so well that inside her head these
exclamations were rising and falling: "What a horrible man! What a
dreadful man! Maggie's uncle! We're lost if any one calls! Oh! I do
hope no one calls!"
It was obvious meanwhile that Mathew was urgently wishing for a
moment alone with Maggie. He looked at her with pleading eyes, and
once he winked towards Grace. He talked on, however, running some of
his words into one another and paying very little attention to
anything that Grace might say: "No, I haven't seen my little niece,
Miss Trenchard, for a long time--didn't like to interfere, in a way.
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