keep most frightfully late hours in this house, General. What is it that you do—play cards or gamble with dominoes?”
“No, it’s chess,” jerked out the General, regarding her impassively. “Mate to the King and the Black Queen to move. All that sort of thing, don’t you know.”
The American widow trilled out a silvery laugh, and the veteran attacked his breakfast. But, looking singularly old this morning, he seemed to have but little appetite, and ate slowly, frowning at the two empty places; and when Alec Forsyth came in alone, and white as a sheet, he was on his legs in a moment.
“Where is the Duke?’’ the General flung at his nephew.
“I don’t know; he’s not in his room, and I can’t find him anywhere in the nearer gardens,” was the reply. “I should like to speak to you for a moment,” Forsyth added, with a significant glance at the ladies, who had so far failed to grasp that there was anything serious in a Duke being late for breakfast in his own house.
It needed no second request to bring the General out into the hall. “Now tell me
[257]
