Mary now began to cry. "I know he's very ill. I'm sure he's very ill. Oh, what shall we do?"
"You had better go up stairs with Lady Clara," said Aunt Letty. "I will send you up word immediately."
"Oh, don't mind me; pray don't mind me," said Clara. "Pray, pray, don't take notice of me;" and she rushed forward, and throwing herself on her knees before Emmeline, began to kiss her.
They remained here, heedless of Aunt Letty's advice, for some ten minutes, and then Herbert came to them. The two girls flew at him with questions; while Lady Clara stood by the window, anxious to learn, but unwilling to thrust herself into their family matters.
"My father has been much troubled to-day, and is not well," said Herbert. "But I do not think there is anything to frighten us. Come; let us go to dinner."
The going to dinner was but a sorry farce with any of them; but nevertheless, they went through the ceremony, each for the sake of the others.
"Mayn't we see him?" said the girls to their mother, who did come down into the drawing-room for one moment to speak to Clara.
"Not to-night, loves. He should not be disturbed." And so that day came to an end; not satisfactorily.