He took a cab and drove immediately to Morley's Hotel in the Strand, where Herman Brudenell was stopping.
Carpet-bag in hand, Ishmael was shown into that gentleman's sitting room.
Mr. Brudenell sat writing at a table, but on hearing Mr. Worth announced and seeing him enter, he started up, threw down his pen, and rushed to welcome the traveler.
"My dear, dear boy, a thousand welcomes!" he exclaimed, heartily shaking Ishmael's hands.
"I am very glad to come and see you again, sir. I hope that you are quite well?" said Ishmael, cordially responding to this warm welcome.
"As well as a solitary man can be, my dear boy. How did you leave our friends? In good health, I trust,"
"Yes; in tolerably good health, considering the circumstances. They are of course somewhat shaken by the terrible events of the last few days."
"I should think so. Heaven! what an ordeal to have passed through.
Poor Claudia. How has she borne it all?"
"With the most admirable firmness. Claudia-Lady Vincent, I should say—has come out of her fiery trial like refined gold," said Ishmael warmly.
"A fiery trial, indeed. Ishmael, I have read the full account of the Banff tragedy, as they call it, in all the morning papers; no two of them agreeing in all particulars. The account in the 'Times' I hold to be the most reliable; it is at least the fullest—it occupies nearly two pages of that great paper."