Wolfenden, with a discretion at which he afterwards wondered, did not at once attract her attention. He hurried off to the smoking carriage before which his servant was standing, and had his own belongings promptly removed on to the platform. Then he paid a visit to the refreshment-room, and provided himself with an extensive luncheon basket, and finally, at the bookstall, he bought up every lady's paper and magazine he could lay his hands upon. There was only a minute now before the train was due to leave, and he walked along the platform as though looking for a seat, followed by his perplexed servant. When he arrived opposite to her carriage, he paused, only to find himself confronted by a severe-looking maid dressed in black, and the guard. For the first time he noticed the little strip, "engaged," pasted across the window.
"Plenty of room lower down, sir," the guard remarked. "This is an engaged carriage."
The maid whispered something to the guard, who nodded and locked the door. At the sound of the key, however, the girl looked round and saw Wolfenden. She lifted her eyebrows and smiled faintly. Then she came to the window and let it down.
"Whatever are you doing here?" she asked. "You----"
He interrupted her gently. The train was on the point of departure.
"I am going down into Norfolk," he said. "I had not the least idea of seeing you. I do not think that I was ever so surprised."
She laughed at him. He had been so afraid of her possible refusal, that his question had been positively tremulous.
"I suppose so," she said slowly. "Is the train quite full, then?"
He looked at her quite keenly. She was laughing at him with her eyes--an odd little trick of hers. He was himself again at once, and answered mendaciously, but with emphasis--
"Not a seat anywhere. I shall be left behind if you don't take me in."
A word in the guard's ear was quite sufficient, but the maid looked at Wolfenden suspiciously. She leaned into the carriage.
"Would mademoiselle prefer that I, too, travelled with her?" she inquired in French.
The girl answered her in the same language.
"Certainly not, Céleste. You had better go and take your seat at once. We are just going!"
The maid reluctantly withdrew, with disapproval very plainly stamped upon her dark face. Wolfenden and his belongings were bundled in, and the whistle blew. The train moved slowly out of the station. They were off!