Most of all, perhaps, she was angry because, at a time when their lives were all in deadly peril, she should allow the matter to dwell in her mind a single moment.
Late one afternoon Bathurst walked into the Major's bungalow just as he was about to sit down to dinner.
"Major, I want to speak to you for a moment," he said.
"Sit down and have some dinner, Bathurst.

You have become altogether a stranger." "Thank you, Major, but I have a great deal to do.

Can you spare me five minutes now?
It is of importance." Isobel rose to leave the room.
"There is no reason you should not hear, Miss Hannay, but it would be better that none of the servants should be present.

That is why I wish to speak before your uncle goes in to dinner." Isobel sat down with an air of indifference.
"For the last week, Major, I have ridden every day five and twenty to thirty miles in the direction of Cawnpore; my official work has been practically at an end since we heard the news from Meerut.

I could be of no use here, and thought that I could do no better service than trying to obtain the earliest news from Cawnpore; I am sorry to say that this afternoon I distinctly heard firing in that direction.