He obeyed, and I drew the girl into a room hard by, and shut the door, and held out impassioned arms.
“I could not help it, Ira; indeed, I could not. Things beyond my controlling have detained me.”
In a moment she had run to me—had abandoned herself to me, and was sobbing in my arms as if her heart would break.
“Richard, I have wanted you so! Such a dreadful thing!”
“Ira, my darling, what is this?”
“I don’t know what it is. You must go to him—you must go to him at once. He has been asking for you.”
“He? Who?”
“Lord Skene. O! she has gone away—left us! He has been questioning me—Uncle Charlie has—and I could tell him nothing. How could I? but you, Richard?”
“Hush, my dearest darling. Try and compose yourself. Who has gone away? Tell me in one word, now.”
“Aunt Georgie has.”