Then, still attended by his servants, he went below stairs and searched the library and the bird room. But neither Drusilla nor any one else could be found.
“I looked into the drawing-room before I entered the house—looked in through the unshuttered front windows and I saw that no one was in there. But I will look again,” muttered Mr. Lyon, in extreme astonishment and anxiety, as he passed into the apartment in question.
It was still brilliantly lighted up and he could see into every corner of it; but he saw, besides the usual furniture, only the neatly spread little supper table; the untasted supper covered up on the hearth; and the easy chair and slippers near the blackened fire that had quite gone out.
But his wife was nowhere to be seen in the room.
“This is most inexplicable!” he exclaimed, in consternation, as he turned and looked at his servants, who stood near him aghast with terror. “At what hour did your mistress dismiss you?”
“At ten o’clock, sir; but we didn’t go out of the house till nearly half-past, as it took us some little time to rake out the kitchen fire and fasten up the place,” answered Leo, while Pina fell to sobbing.
“Stop that noise, will you, and follow me. I will search the rooms over the kitchen; though I suppose it will be quite in vain,” said Mr. Lyon, grimly, as there entered his mind the cruel suspicion that his neglected and lonely young wife had actually left her home.
They searched first the kitchen, pantry and laundry, on the first floor of the back building. Then they went up and searched the servants’ rooms on the second floor. But without success.
“She is gone,” said Mr. Lyon to himself, as he led the way back to the drawing-room. And in the strangely blended emotions of astonishment and mortification, there was also a delusive feeling of satisfaction and hope. If she was gone, he should be free. Her departure was his deliverance.
As he re-entered the drawing-room, still attended by his servants, he saw the broad morning light streaming in at the front windows. He ordered Leo to take away the lamps and to clear out the grate and kindle a new fire. And he directed Pina to remove the supper service and prepare his breakfast; for, under all the circumstances, he felt too much excited to think of lying down to sleep.