Then thinking and thinking till his brain began to swim, he went to his own room, feeling utterly exhausted, but unable to find rest.
In the morning he ran round, and found that the doctor was with his mother; and as the great physician came out he shook hands with the lad.
“Yes?” he said smiling; “you wish to know whether I think Lady Gowan will be able to go and pay that visit this afternoon? Most certainly. Her illness is principally from anxiety, and I have no hesitation in saying that she would be worse if I forbade her leaving her apartments. I will be here to see her in the evening after her return.”
Frank entered his mother’s room to find her wonderfully calm, but there was a peculiarly wild look of excitement in her eyes; and as the lad gazed inquiringly at her, she said softly:
“Have no fear, dear. I shall be strong enough to bear it. You will come, and see me start! The carriage will be here at two.”
“And you will go round home first?” said Frank softly.
“Yes,” she cried, with the excited look in her eyes seeming to grow more intense. “But, my boy, my boy, if I could only have you with me! Frank dear, we must save him. But do you think that these people can and will help him?”
“I feel sure, mother,” replied Frank. “Take the message Drew brings to you, and see what my father says.”
“Yes,” she said thoughtfully. “I feel that they will help, for these people are staunch to each other. They helped the Pretender to escape.”
“It was not the Pretender, mother,” whispered Frank; “it was Drew’s father. And he has vowed that he will not leave England and seek safety until my father is safe.”