Page:The Lark - E Nesbit, 1922.djvu/29

30 They gathered their belongings together and got out. The chauffeur unlatched the gate for them, and they passed up a tiled path to a narrow green door.

"Oh, Jane, this can't be right!" Lucy a whispered.

"Where's the key?" said Jane.

A large key-hole invited it. It turned easily, and the door opening showed a vision of a narrow carpeted passage and steeply-rising stairs.

"Good afternoon, miss," said the chauffeur "the taxi is paid for."

"But here—I say, stop a minute!" said Lucilla.

"Sorry—another appointment," he said. "You'll find it's quite all right. This is Hope Cottage," and he turned to his machine still pulsing loudly.

"No you don't!" cried Jane, and, springing to the gate, caught him by the arm. A look of positive terror came over his face.

"My dear young lady," he said, "surely you won't detain me by force?"

"Yes, I will," said Jane. "You can't go off and leave us like this."

"Mr. Panton told me to bring you here, miss. I assure you its all quite as he arranged. You need be under no apprehension." "I'm not," she said shortly. "But I'm going to let you go till you've helped to get the boxes in. How on earth do you suppose that taxi man's going to get all those boxes up these stairs? Or do you expect us to do it?"

"I beg your pardon," he said. "I never thought of that. Of course I will," and he turned t0 waiting taxi and began to haul at a suit-case.

"You must take them all upstairs. There's no room in this passage for luggage."

"Certainly," said the chauffeur; "Please don't worry. I'll manage everything."

He did. When motor and taxi had died away into silence Jane said: