It may be that she saw something of his anger in his kindling eye, and thought it well to intervene.
She set a hand on his sleeve.

"Charles!" she said to him in a voice that was dead cold with warning.
He responded to it, and chose discretion.

He looked Green over, nevertheless.

"I vow I'm very patient with you," said he, and Green had the discretion on his side to hold his tongue.

"Come, man, while we stand talking here that knave may be destroying precious evidence." And his lordship went quickly down the stairs, Mr.Green following hard upon his heels, and her ladyship bringing up the rear.
At the door of the library Rotherby came to a halt, and turned the handle.