“My wish is that you should come away with her—with us,” said he, after a moment’s pause, as if to collect his thoughts. And then he seemed to recover himself a little, and went on: “Yes, and we must make haste. There is no time to be lost. We will all go together and at once.”
“But, papa, we’re not ready. We didn’t come prepared for a journey!” protested Pamela in great distress and alarm.
His sister whispered to him, and Mr. Candover said quickly:—
“No matter. Paris is not at the other end of the earth. Your things can be sent on after you. Call a hansom—No, a hansom won’t hold us. Go to the window and hail a four-wheeler, or get the porter to whistle for one, and let us start at once. Pamela, you go with your aunt. Babs, come with me.”
And before the frightened and almost weeping Audrey could do more than try to intervene with faint words of entreaty, of protest, Mr. Candover and his sister had carried the girls off before her very eyes, and led them downstairs and out of her sight.
Audrey made a rapid step towards the door, when a loud and piercing cry reached her ears.
CHAPTER XXV
Now there was upon the face of Mademoiselle Laure, as she followed Mr. Candover and Babs downstairs, with Pamela struggling to get free from the firm grasp of her lean fingers, an expression which betrayed the fact that she feared mischief.
And her alarm was well founded.
Scarcely had Mr. Candover reached the last stair, when a man rushed out from behind the door, where he had evidently been waiting, and barred his passage.