“The Admiral sent me to say that he was waiting for the missus’s commands, and might he come down and see her on very partic’lar business? He couldn’t write, his hand’s all a shake, and he ain’t been asleep all night.”
“Tell him, and tell Mr Bayle, too, that my mistress begs that she may be left alone for the present. She says she will send to them if she wants their help.”
“Right it is,” said Tom Porter. “Now then, what did you want along o’ me?”
Thisbe’s face hardened and then grew convulsed, and the tears sprang to her eyes. Then it seemed to harden up again, and she took hold of Tom Porter’s collar and whispered to him quickly.
“Phe-ew!” whistled Sir Gordon’s man.
She went on whispering in an excited way.
“Yes, I understand,” he said.
She whispered to him again more earnestly than ever.
“Yes. Not tell a soul—and only if—”
“Yes.”