“Eh? So near. No; I knew it was somewhere about this part,” said the general, smiling. “Oh, I see, my boy. Well, it’s quite right, but risky. And besides, we may stay here a week or we may stay a minute. How do I know how soon the enemy may rout us out? No, Fred, my boy, love must give way to duty. I cannot spare my young officer, even to go and see his mother, much as I should like to say ‘Yes.’”
“You mistake me, sir,” said Fred, colouring a little. “I would not have asked leave at this busy time for that.”
“Then what do you want, my boy?”
“Lady Markham and her daughter, sir. This is no place for them.”
“Humph! No. But we have no time for paying attentions to ladies.”
“No, sir; but what I want to do is a little thing. We may stay here some time, and other troops join us.”
“Yes, I am expecting reinforcements. What do you want to do?”
“As this may be quite a rendezvous for some time, to get them away.”
“I cannot undertake such duties, my boy; but Lady Markham and her daughter are free to go anywhere.”
“Thank you, sir. That is what I want; but the only asylum for them is our old home, and they would not go there unasked.”