CHAPTER V.

THE USUAL SORT OF SCRAPE.


On the following evening Loftus Bertram made his appearance at Rosendale
Manor. Catherine and Mabel were both waiting for him under the shade of
the great oak tree which commanded a view of the gate. His train was due
at Northbury at seven o'clock. He was to come by express from London,
and the girls concluded that the express would not be more than five
minutes late. Allowing for this, and allowing also for the probability
that Loftus would be extremely discontented with the style of hackney
coach which alone would await him at the little station and might in
consequence prefer to walk to the Manor, the girls calculated he might
put in an appearance on the scene at about twenty minutes past seven.
They had arranged to have dinner at a quarter to eight, and sat side by
side now, looking a little forlorn in the frocks they had grown out of,
and a little lonely, like half-fledged chicks, without their mother's
august protection.

"Loftie will wonder," said Mabel, "at mother going off to Manchester in
such a hurry."

It was the cook who had told Mabel about Manchester, Clara having
informed her.

"There's Loftus!" suddenly exclaimed Catherine. "I knew he'd walk. I
said so. There's the old shandrydan crawling after him with the luggage.