A faint smile of recognition came upon her lips, and she raised one hand to her son, and laid it upon his head as he sank upon his knees by the bedside.
“Oh, mother darling!” he whispered, in a choking voice, “forgive me for not coming before.”
She half closed her eyes, and made a movement of the lips for him to kiss her. Then her eyes closed, as she breathed a weary sigh.
Frank turned in horror to the physician, who bent down and whispered to him.
“Don’t be alarmed; it is sleep. She has, I find, been in a terribly excited state, and I have been compelled to administer a strong sedative. She will be calmer when she wakes. Sleep is everything now.”
“You are not deceiving me, sir?” whispered Frank.
“No. That is the simple truth,” replied the physician, very firmly. “Your mother may wake at any time; but I hope many hours will first elapse. I find that she has expressed an intense longing for you to come to her side, and, as you saw, she recognised you.”
“Oh yes, she knew me,” said Frank eagerly. “But pray tell me—she is not dying?”
“Lady Gowan is in a very serious condition,” replied the doctor; “but I hope she will recover, and—”
“Yes, yes; pray speak out to me, sir,” pleaded the boy.