tter go into the country at once?" demanded the Duke,
eagerly.
"Far from it, far from it, my lord," replied Wilton: "the way, of all
others, I should think, to cause yourself to be arrested. On the
contrary, if you would take my advice, you would immediately sit down
and write a note to Lord Byerdale, saying that I had told you--for he
did not forbid me to mention it--that Cook had made some allusion to
you. Tell him that it was, and is, your intention to go out of town
within a few days, but that knowing your own innocence of every
design against the government, you will put off your journey, or even
surrender yourself at the Tower, should he judge, from any
information that he possesses, that even a shade of suspicion is
likely to be cast upon you by any of the persons about to be tried. I
will answer for the success, if your grace follows my advice. A bold
step of this kind disarms suspicion. Lord Byerdale will, in all
probability, intimate to Cook, that nothing at all is to be said in
regard to you, feeling sure that you are innocent of any great
offence; whereas, if the charge were once brought forward, the set of
low-minded villains concerned in this business might think it
absolutely necessary to work it up into a serious affair, from which
your grace would find a difficulty in extricating yourself."
"You are right, Wilton, you are right," replied the Duke: "I see you
are right, although I judged it hazardous at first. You shall see
what confidence I have in you. I will write the letter directly;" and
he turned away with him from the window.
Laura had watched the conference with some anxiety, and the Duke's
guests with some surprise; but when the Duke ended by saying aloud,
"I fear I must beg your pardon, ladies, for two minutes, but I must
write a short note of immediate importance; Wilton, my dear young
friend, be kind enough to order dinner, and help Laura to entertain
my friends here till I return, which will be before they have covered
the table," every one looked in the face of the other; and they all
mentally said, "The matter is clearly settled, and the hand of this
rich and beautiful heiress is promised to an unknown man of no rank
whatever."
Knowing the feelings that were in his own heart, being quite sure of
the interpretation that would be put upon the Duke's words, and yet
having some doubts still whether the Duke himself had the slightest
intention of giving them such a meaning, Wilton cast down his eyes
and coloured slightly. B