“There,” she said tenderly, “you see how calm I am.”
“Yes; but if I could only go with you, mother!” he said.
“Yes; if you could only go with me, my boy! But it is impossible. No, not impossible, for you will be with me in spirit all the time. I take your love to your father—and—ah!”
Her eyes closed, and she seemed on the point of fainting, but, struggling desperately against the weakness, she mastered it and rose.
“Take me down to the carriage, Frank,” she said firmly. “It is the waiting which makes me weak. Once in action, I shall go on to the end. You will be here to meet me on my return? It will be more than two hours—perhaps three. There, you see I am firm now.”
He could not speak, and he felt her press heavily upon his arm, as he led her downstairs and handed her into the carriage.
Then for the first time a thought struck him.
“Mother,” he whispered, as he leaned forward into the carriage. “You ought not to go alone. Some lady—”
“Hush! Not a word to weaken me now. I ought to go alone,” she said firmly. “I could not take another there. I could not bear her presence with me. It is better so. Tell the men to drive to Queen Anne Street first.”
The door was closed sharply, he gave the servants their instructions, and then stood watching the carriage as it crossed the courtyard. But as it disappeared he felt that the excitement was more than he could bear, and, in place of going back to the Prince’s antechamber, he hurried out into the Park, to try and cool his heated brain.