“That is what we had hoped,” Lord Barham said, “but now Nelson has vanished and no one seems to know where!”
“I am quite certain that whatever he does will be the right thing,” the Earl said quietly.
He thought that Lord Barham was slightly sceptical at his optimistic remark, but he did not say so.
He merely took the Earl to the door and, opening it, said in a loud voice that could be heard by everybody in the outer office,
“It has been delightful to see you, my dear boy. We shall miss you in the Navy, but I do understand that you have a great deal to do on your estates. Take time off to enjoy yourself after all your hard work!”
He shook the Earl by the hand and then one of the senior clerks escorted him to the front door.
The First Lord went back to his own office with the air of a
