Lord Dymchurch.
What are the plans for this morning?"

"I don't think they are settled yet. It's still early."

"How is May?"

"Quite well, I think."

"I shall be down at mid-day, if not before. Tell Lord Dymchurch that."

The morning's correspondence was brought in. Lady Ogram glanced over
her letters, and bade Constance reply to two or three of them. She
gave, also, many instructions as to matters which had been occupying
her lately; her mind was abnormally active and lucid; at times her
speech became so rapid that it was unintelligible.

"Now go and get to work," she said at length, coming to an abrupt
close. "You've enough to occupy you all the morning."

Constance had paid little attention to these commands, and, on
returning to the library, she made no haste to begin upon her
secretarial duties. For more than an hour she sat brooding. Only as a
relief to her thoughts did she at length begin to write letters. It was
shortly before mid-day when again there came a summons from Lady Ogram;
obeying it, Constance took Lord Dymchurch's letter in her hand.

Lady Ogram had risen. She was in the little drawing-room upstairs,
reclining upon a sofa; the effort of walking thus far had exhausted her.

"I hear that Mr. Lashmar has called this morning," she began, half
raising herself, but at once sinking back again. "What did he come
about? Can't he come to lunch?"

"Yes, he will be here at one o'clock," Constance replied.

"Then why did he come? It was before nine. What had he to say?"

"He wanted to speak to me in private."

"Oh, I suppose that's privileged," returned the autocrat, smiling.
"What have you got there? Something just come?"

"It's a note for you from Lord Dymchurch."

"From Lord Dymchurch? Give it me at once, then. Where is he? Why
couldn't he wait till I came down?"

She tore the envelope with weak trembling hands. Constance watched her
as she read. Of a sudden, the shrunk, feeble figure sprang upright, and
stood as though supported by the vigorous muscles of youth.

"Do you know what this contains?" sounded a clear, hard voice,
strangely unlike that which had just been speaking.

"I have no idea."

"But you knew that he had left?"

"Yes, I knew. I kept it from you till now, because I feared you were
not well enough to bear the agitation."

"And who," cried the other fiercely, "gave you authority to detain
letters addressed to me? What have you to do with my health? When did
Lord Dymch