The baronet, in his slippers and dressing-gown, cautiously descended the stairs, guiding himself with his left hand placed upon the balustrade, and conducting a young female with his right.
They maintained a profound silence, and stole down so carefully that it was easy to perceive they were fearful of alarming the household.
But while he was still descending the stairs, leading the young female, who was fully dressed even to her bonnet and shawl, the following thoughts passed rapidly through the mind of the baronet.
"After all, it is absurd for me to take this trouble to get my new mistress secretly out of the house. Why should she not walk boldly in and out, night or day, I wonder? 'Pon my honour, I have a great mind that she should! But, no—whatever agreement exists between me and Lady Cecilia, a certain degree of decency must be observed before the servants, and for the sake of one's character with the neighbours. After all, prudence is perhaps the best system."
His thoughts were at this moment interrupted by steps upon the stairs, which evidently were not the echoes of those of himself and his paramour.
He paused and listened.
Those steps were descending with great apparent caution, and yet a little more heavily than was quite consistent with entire secrecy.
The baronet led his mistress hastily after him, crossed the hall, and then drew her along with him into an obscure corner near the front-door.
"Silence, Caroline—silence," he whispered: "it is most likely the housemaid."
The baronet and his mistress accordingly remained as quiet as mice in the corner where they were concealed.