“It was his father,” calmly replied Drusilla.
A sort of panic fell upon the party. The short spell of silence was broken by General Lyon.
“Humph! humph! humph! humph! so he’s turned up again, has he? Where did he see the boy, my dear?”
“Uncle,” said Drusilla, “he was lodging at this house, when we first came. He left, I think, the same evening. But he knew that we also were lodging here; for while we were driving out to leave our cards he came in and cut off a lock of little Lenny’s hair, and took it away with him.”
“When was this?”
“The first day we went driving, uncle; the day before the Derby.”
“Humph! humph! humph! And he left the same evening? and he has not been here since?”
“I believe so, uncle.”
“Humph, humph; it is clear that the sight of us sent him away. I don’t wonder at that. I only wonder it did not blast him.”
“Oh, uncle, uncle!” pleaded Drusilla.