She broke open the note with eager impatience, but it fell from her fingers as she read it, and she lay back almost fainting in her chair.
“Are you ill, dear,—are you faint?” asked Lady Len-drick.
“No; I 'm quite well again. I was only provoked,—put out;” and she stooped and took up the letter. “I wrote to Mr. Kincaid to give me certain papers which were in his hands, and which I know Colonel Sewell would wish to have in his own keeping, and he writes me this:—
“Dear Madam,—I am sorry that it is not in my power to comply with the request of your note, inasmuch as the letters referred to were this morning handed over to Sir Brook Fossbrooke on his producing an order from Colonel Sewell to that intent.—I am, Madam, your most obedient servant,
“George Kincaid.”
“They were letters, then?”
“Yes, Lady Lendrick, they were letters,” said she, dryly, as she arose and walked to the window, to hide an agitation she could no longer subdue. After a few minutes she turned round and said, “You will let me stay here to-night?”
“Certainly, dear; of course I will.”
“But the children must be sent for,—I can't suffer them to remain there. Will you send for them?”
“Yes; I 'll tell Rose to take the carriage and bring them over here.”