It happened that just as Mr. Granger rode along the High-street, where
there were some half-a-dozen stragglers visible upon a wide expanse of
pavement, and one carriage waiting at the draper's, Mr. Fairfax walked up
the broad steps of the hotel and entered--entered with the air of a man who
lived there, Daniel Granger thought. And he had said that he was staying
with a bachelor friend. Mr. Granger rode slowly past the principal part of
the hotel to an archway at the end--an archway leading to livery stables,
where the ostler was lounging. He stopped opposite this archway, and
beckoned the man over to him.
"There was a gentleman went into the hotel just now," he said; "did you see
him?"
"Yes, sir, I seed him. Mr. Fairfax; him as was to have married Lady Laura
Armstrong's sister."
"Is he staying in the house, do you know?"
"Yes, sir; came last night, down from London. Shall I take him your card,
sir?"
"No, thank you, Giles; I won't call upon him this afternoon, I only wanted
to be sure. Good-day."
He rode on. What was the meaning of this lie which George Fairfax had told
him? Had it any meaning which it behoved him to fathom? It was strange, at
the least--strange enough to make Mr. Granger very uncomfortable as he rode
slowly back to the Court.
* * * * *
CHAPTER XXXII.
AUSTIN.
Late in the autumn of that year, Mr.
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