It was during one of these strategical pauses, after the game had been in progress for nearly an hour, that Crewe heard a frightened exclamation from Lady Granville. He looked up and saw Marsland standing near the fire-place with his hand over his heart, swaying as though about to fall. Crewe sprang forward and supported him to an easy chair.
“A little brandy,” said Crewe quietly.
Sir George hurriedly brought a decanter of brandy and a glass, and Crewe poured a little down Marsland’s throat. The colour came slowly back to the young man’s cheeks, and he smiled feebly at the three faces looking down at him.
“I’m afraid I’ve been giving you a lot of trouble,” he said, with an obvious effort to collect himself.
“I’ll ring up for Dr. Harrison,” Sir George spoke in a loud voice, as though to reassure himself.
“There is not the slightest need to send for Harrison,” said Marsland. “I’m quite right again. I must expect these attacks occasionally for some time to come. They’re nothing—just weakness. All I need is a good night’s rest, and if you’ll excuse me I’ll retire now.” He got up and walked resolutely out of the room with square shoulders, as though to demonstrate to those watching him that no trace of his weakness remained.
“Do you think it is safe to leave him alone?” said Sir George turning to Crewe, as the door closed on his nephew’s retreating figure. “I feel very anxious about him. Anything might happen to him during the night.”
“A good night’s rest will do him more good than anything else. He has been under a rather severe nervous strain during the last few days. We will go to his room in a few minutes to see how he is.”
They settled down to their game again and Lady Granville moved up her chair near the chess-table for the sake of their company and pretended to take an interest in the game. Only a few moves had been made when there was a loud report of an explosion. Lady Granville jumped up from her chair and screamed and then fell back into the chair in a faint.
“Look to her,” said Crewe to his host, “while I go and see what’s the matter.”