“Does he know your lordship means to go?”
“No one knows but you. My shoulder is thought to be troubling me, and I shall presently retire to my room. Say nothing to Wickham! Just tell him to remain on duty while you are in Grantham, in case I should need him!”
He then returned to the house, dawdled through the morning, and by noon had confessed his disinclination to accompany Ulverston to Whissenhurst. Miss Morville rescued him from a renewed threat of having the doctor sent for, by saying that there was no occasion for summoning a doctor if only he would behave with common-sense, and rest, instead of unnecessarily fatiguing himself. He allowed himself to be persuaded to lie down upon his bed; and Ulverston, who had insisted on seeing him comfortably bestowed, was able to report to Miss Morville a few minutes later that he showed every disposition to go to sleep. Ulverston then took himself off to Whissenhurst; and Miss Morville went out into the gardens to take the air. Half an hour later, rounding a corner of the Castle, with the intention of entering through the east door, she found herself confronting the invalid, who had just emerged through that doorway.
The Earl halted, exclaiming ruefully: “Miss Morville!”
Miss Morville, thoughtfully considering his caped driving-coat, the hat on his head, and the gloves in his hand, said in a voice of mild interest: “I expect you feel that a drive will do your shoulder good, my lord.”
He smiled. “Forgive me! I would not have hoaxed you, if I could have got rid of Lucy by any other means!”
She raised her eyes to his face. “Where are you going?” She coloured, and added: “I don’t mean to be prying and inquisitive, but I cannot help feeling a trifle anxious. If you don’t choose to tell me, you need not, of course.”
“I will hide no secrets from you,” he said lightly. “Indeed, I trust you implicitly, Miss Morville! I am going to see Theo.”
“Going to see Theo!” she echoed, staring at him. “Oh, pray do not! It — it is such a long way to Evesleigh!”
He took her hand, and held it. “No, it is not such a long way, nor shall I fall into any more ambushes. That is what you are afraid of, isn’t it? You need not be: Martin has gone to Grantham, and, although I trust he may not know it, Chard is watching him. He won’t let him out of his sight. Believe me, while Chard is with Martin I stand in no sort of danger.”