“That's all very fine, Alice, but I 'm much mistaken if you are as indifferent as you pretend.”
“Mark! what do you mean?” said she, angrily.
“Here's Raikes now; and will some one tell him what it is we want?” said Mrs. Maxwell; but the others were far too deeply engaged in their own whispered controversy now to mind her.
“Captain Lyle will tell you by and by, Raikes,” said she, gathering up the mass of loose impedimenta with which she usually moved from one room to the other, and by which, as they fell at every step, her course could always be tracked. “He'll tell you,” added she, moving away. “I think it was caviare, and you are to telegraph for it to Swan and Edgar's—but my head is confused to-day; I'll just go and lie down.”
As Mrs. Maxwell left by one door, Alice passed out by another; while Mark, whose temper evinced itself in a flushed cheek and a contracted brow, stood at a window, fretfully tapping the ground with his foot.
“Have you any orders, sir?” asked Raikes.
“Orders! No—stay a moment Have many gone away this morning?”
“Nearly all, sir. Except your family and Mr. Maitland, there's nobody left but Major Clough, and he 's going, I believe, with Dr. Reede.”
“You 've heard nothing of Mr. Maitland going, have you?”
“Oh, yes, sir! his man sent for post-horses about an hour ago.”