It was after luncheon,
and by the schoolroom fire, and yet I hadn't really,
in the least, slept: I had only done something much worse--
I had forgotten. Where, all this time, was Flora?
When I put the question to Miles, he played on a minute
before answering and then could only say: "Why, my dear,
how do _I_ know?"--breaking moreover into a happy laugh which,
immediately after, as if it were a vocal accompaniment,
he prolonged into incoherent, extravagant song.
I went straight to my room, but his sister was not there;
then, before going downstairs, I looked into several others.
As she was nowhere about she would surely be with Mrs. Grose, whom,
in the comfort of that theory, I accordingly proceeded in quest of.
I found her where I had found her the evening before,
but she met my quick challenge with blank, scared ignorance.
She had only supposed that, after the repast, I had carried
off both the children; as to which she was quite in her right,
for it was the very first time I had allowed the little
girl out of my sight without some special provision.
Of course now indeed she might be with the maids, so that the
immediate thing was to look for her without an air of alarm.
This we promptly arranged between us; but when, ten minutes
later and in pursuance of our arrangement, we met in the hall,
it was only to report on either side that after guarded inquiries
we had altogether failed to trace her.
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