“Leslie!” said Lady Waring. “You are all wet. What on earth has happened? Didn’t the taxi meet you?”
“No one seemed to know anything about a taxi,” said Leslie Waring, with a flat, tired voice, but without resentment. “I tried to ring you up from the station, but your line was out of order. The station-master said he’d send my luggage up by the railway van in the morning, so I walked up and came in the back way. Rather nice to walk in the rain after that stuffy train.”
“My poor child,” said Lady Waring, and rang the bell.
Major Merton took Leslie Waring’s bag from her, helped her off with her coat and politely pushed her into a chair by the fire. Selina appeared.
“Please, my lady,” she began, “Mr. Coxon from the garridge is just rung up and says the line was out of order this afternoon
