Hawkes smiled benignly on the unfortunate family and rubbed his hands together self-satisfiedly:
"Now I would like to send for the young lady,—the heiress."
"Where is she?" asked Mrs. Chichester.
"She arrived from New York this morning and I brought her straight here. I had to call on a client, so I gave her your address and told her to come here and wait."
At the word "wait" an uneasy feeling took possession of Ethel. That was the word used by that wretched-looking little creature who had so rudely intruded upon her and Brent. Could it be possible—?
The footman entered at that moment.
The lawyer questioned him.
"Is there a young lady waiting for Mr. Hawkes?"
"A YOUNG LADY, sir? No, sir." answered Jarvis. Mr. Hawkes was puzzled. What in the world had become of her? He told the cabman distinctly where to go.
Jarvis opened the door to go out, when a thought suddenly occurred to him. He turned back and spoke to the lawyer: