III
I woke up from one of those dozes which, after a sleepless night, give the brief illusion of complete rest, all my senses sharpened, and my mind factitiously active. And I began at once to anticipate Frank’s coming, and to arrange rapidly my plans for closing the flat. I had determined that it should be closed. Then someone knocked at the door, and it occurred to me that there must have been a previous knock, which had, in fact, wakened me. Save on special occasions, I was never wakened, and Emmeline and my maid had injunctions not to come to me until I rang. My thoughts ran instantly to Frank. He had arrived thus early, merely because he could not keep away.
‘How extremely indiscreet of him!’ I thought. ‘What detestable prevarications with Emmeline this will lead to! I cannot possibly be ready in time if he is to be in and out all day.’
Nevertheless, the prospect of seeing him quickly, and the idea of his splendid impatience, drenched me with joy.
‘What is it?’ I called out.
Emmeline entered in that terrible mauve dressing-gown which I had been powerless to persuade her to discard.
‘So sorry to disturb you,’ said Emmeline, feeling her loose golden hair with one hand, ‘but Mrs. Ispenlove has called, and wants to see you at once. I’m afraid something has happened.’
‘Mrs. Ispenlove?’
My voice shook.
‘Yes. Yvonne came to my room and told me that Mrs. Ispenlove was here, and was either mad or very unwell, and would I go to her? So I got up at once. What shall I do? Perhaps it’s something very serious. Not half-past eight, and calling like this!’