He received her information stolidly, only his small eyes quickened to attention as, without comment, he rose and followed her.
The ill man submitted almost without noticing to the doctor's examination. There was not the slightest doubt that he had taken a serious turn for the worse. Presently, when the doctor had completed his investigation, he summoned Esther to the other end of the room with a brusque movement of the head.
"Have you any idea of what may have caused this?" asked in a low voice.
"Not the slightest, doctor: I simply can't imagine!"
"Then I can."
She looked up at him, puzzled. What did he mean?
"You know what I said to you this morning," he continued deliberately, but looking away from her, "on the subject of your unprofessional behaviour. Perhaps this will be a proof to you of how serious the matter was."
She could not believe she had heard aright.
"What on earth do you mean?"
"I mean that in shouting out the word 'accident' as you did and then dashing out of the room, you may easily have caused Sir Charles a shock which in his condition was sufficient to bring on this relapse. From your manner he may have thought some really grave catastrophe had overtaken his son. It is quite possible that you are directly responsible for his state now."