"Certainly! I will do whatever you wish. Shall we go and see if she is awake now?"
"No! I think not. I had better prepare her. You will come to-morrow, won't you? and you will tell her then."
"Yes; that will be best. I ought to tell Molly first. She has the right to know. I do hope you and she will love each other dearly."
"Oh, yes! I'm sure we shall. Then you'll come to-morrow and tell Lady Cumnor? And I'll prepare her."
"I don't see what preparation is necessary; but you know best, my dear. When can we arrange for you and Molly to meet?"
Just then a servant came in, and the pair started apart.
"Her ladyship is awake, and wishes to see Mr. Gibson."
They both followed the man upstairs; Mrs. Kirkpatrick trying hard to look as if nothing had happened, for she particularly wished "to prepare" Lady Cumnor; that is to say, to give her version of Mr. Gibson's extreme urgency, and her own coy unwillingness.
But Lady Cumnor had observant eyes in sickness as well as in health. She had gone to sleep with the recollection of the passage in her husband's letter full in her mind, and, perhaps, it gave a direction to her wakening ideas.
"I'm glad you're not gone, Mr. Gibson. I wanted to tell you— What's the matter with you both? What have you been saying to Clare? I'm sure something has happened."