From forest caves her shrieking young,
And calm the lonely lioness;
But soothe not, mock not, my distress.—Byron.
Anna returned to the drawing-room to face the difficulty of her duty to keep Drusilla ignorant of the real cause of General Lyon’s and Richard Hammond’s journey to Southampton, and to do this without either telling or acting a falsehood. She wished to put off the evil hour as long as possible, so as to have time to perfect her plan of action, and therefore she kept away from Drusilla’s chamber and remained in the drawing-room.
Drusilla’s sleep was long and unbroken. It was four o’clock in the afternoon before she joined Anna. She—Drusilla—looked refreshed and blooming.
“You have had a good nap,” said Anna.
“Yes,” said Drusilla, smiling, as she sat down, but looking all round as if in search of some one.
“You are looking for grandpa and Dick?” said Anna.
“Yes, and for little Lenny and Pina,” answered Drusilla.
“Oh, little Lenny is out with his nurse,” said Anna, willingly answering the easiest part of the observation first.