It struck me as being so quaintly like some voice I know quite well--and I stupidly cannot remember whose." The coffee-cups chattered upon the silver tray as Hordle handed it to Miss Verity.
"You spoke to him then ?" Sir Charles presently said.
"Oh! just in passing, you know, about the weather--which was phenomenally bad, raining and blowing too wildly at the moment.

I supposed you had seen him.

He seemed to be coming away from the house." Charles Verity turned sideways to the table, bending down a little over the tray as he helped him.

The coffee splashed over into the saucer; yet it was not the hand holding the coffee-pot, but those holding the tray that shook.

Whereupon Charles Verity glanced up into the manservant's face, calmly arrogant.
"Pray be careful, Hordle," he said.