The boys crept to the door and watched breathlessly as he tore open the flimsy orange-coloured envelope and read its contents by the light of old Giles’s lantern. When he had read it he crumpled it up in his hand and came slowly back to the house.
‘What does it say, father?’ asked Ronald. But he hardly needed to ask; he knew by the sad look on his father’s face that the message was not one of hope.
‘Ha, my boys!’ said the doctor, starting at the sound of his eldest son’s voice, ‘I had almost forgotten you. It is time that you were both in bed. Come into the study, to the fire. Vivian, you look blue with cold.’
Then, when they had followed him into the study, he sat down in his arm-chair and drew them gently to him. ‘It is bad news, boys,’ he said gravely, and his voice shook as he spoke. ‘Sir Antony Jones can only say what Dr Robson and I said; I am much afraid that if dear little Isobel is living now she will not last through the night.’
‘Oh father!’ said Ronald, the tears running down his cheeks, ‘how will Aunt Dora bear it? She never said so, but I feel sure that Isobel was more to her almost than Ralph or Claude. It was not that she loved them less, but Isobel was her only little girl. Oh, just think if it had been Dorothy!’
‘God forbid,’ said Dr Armitage involuntarily, and he pressed his arm round the boys who were so precious to him, and there was silence for a moment, broken only by Ronald’s sobs, for Vivian, who was generally the more easily moved to tears, stood perfectly still and quiet.
When the doctor spoke again it was in his usual tone, though his manner was grave and sad. ‘Well, boys, it is more than time that you were in bed. I must write some letters, and then go down and have a look at Widow Dallas’s grandchild. She is ill too—very ill—but I hope she will pull through. I will look in and see you when I come back, and say good-night if you are not asleep.’
He kissed them tenderly, whispering to them not to forget Isobel’s name in their prayers, and then he went out, and they went slowly up to bed.
At the head of the stairs Ronald turned off, and went quietly towards the nursery, stifling his sobs as best he could.
‘I’m going to give little Dorothy a kiss,’ he whispered. ‘I never knew before what a blessing a little sister is. Aren’t you coming?’