“No; for it would be useless as well as painful for her to know anything about it.”
“You will tell grandpa?”
“Yes; as soon as he is up and has had his breakfast, I must consult with him as to what further can be done. Now, Anna, dear, you had better try to get a little sleep before breakfast; as for me, I shall go and take a bath and get a cup of coffee, and be off to Scotland Yard again, and be back time enough to meet my uncle when he appears.”
So saying, Dick rang for his valet and disappeared.
But sleep was driven far from Anna for that day. She, too, found her best restorative in a bath, a change of dress, and a cup of strong coffee. Having drank this last, she went down into the drawing-room to wait for the other members of the family.
But even there she could not be at rest, the news of this intended duel had excited her so much; and not that she cared for her cousin Alexander, either, but that she cared for Drusilla: and she was anxious for the return of Dick, to know whether the detective policemen had succeeded in tracing Alexander in time to stop his murderous and suicidal purpose. She walked from window to door, and from door to window, unable to sit still; she took up a book, and laid it down; tried her embroidery frame, and cast it aside, unable to read or work; she opened her piano, but could not play. So she maundered about until the family circle began to gather.
The first that appeared was little Lenny, in the arms of his nurse. He looked fresh, bright and gay from his morning walk, and was full of chatter about a monkey and an organ grinder.
Next came Drusilla, looking rather pale, but very pretty in her plainly banded dark hair and her cool white morning dress. She greeted Anna, and then sat down and called her child to her knee, and began to ask him about his morning walks. And Lenny, having found his most interested hearer, chattered away faster than ever.
The third comer was General Lyon, looking quite refreshed after several hours of undisturbed repose.
“Good-morning, my dears. I hope I have not kept you waiting,” he said, as he saluted the two ladies.