"Tell me! oh, tell me!" she faltered, coming close to him, and breaking off in her speech.
"He is alive, my child."
"Ah!"
"The doctors are with him now."
"So soon—so soon!" exclaimed the lady, seizing upon a desperate hope from the doctor's presence.
"I came out here for breath. It was so close in the rooms," said the baronet, gently.
Lady Rose glanced at the house. It was still brilliantly lighted. The windows were all open, and a soft breeze was playing with the frost-like curtains, just as it had when she heard that shot, and fled down the terrace. The music was hushed, and the rooms were almost empty; that was all the change that appeared to her. Yet it seemed as if years had passed since she stood on that terrace.
"But we shall hear soon. Oh, tell me!"
"Yes, my child. They know that I am waiting."
The baronet strove to speak calmly, for the suppression of strong feeling had been the education of his life; but his voice shook, and he turned his head aside, to avoid the piteous glance of those great, blue eyes that were so full of tears.