They reached the building in a few minutes. There stood the horses in readiness, and beside them Lord Elliot’s servant, with his baggage. He sprang from the carriage, and, giving the coachman a douceur, ordered him to loosen the horses and return home with them.
“But, your honor,” stammered the mystified coachman, “how am I to call for my lady if you take the carriage?”
“My lady can wait,” said Lord Elliot, jeeringly. “If she reproaches you, tell her that Lord Elliot wishes to be remembered to her; that he will return in eight days with her carriage.”
“But she will dismiss me from her service, my lord.”
“Wait patiently for eight days, and then you shall enter mine. And now, away with you!”
The coachman dared not answer, and soon disappeared with his horses.
The fresh horses were put to the carriage, the servant swung himself up to his seat; Lord Elliot stood in front of the carriage with his friend Dr. Blitz.
“All has happened as I desired,” said he. “I take my child away with me, and, with God’s will, she shall never know but that death deprived her of her mother. Poor child! she has no mother, but I will love her with all the strength of a father, all the tenderness of a mother, and I have a noble sister who will guard and watch over her. She awaits me at Kiel. I accompany my child so far, but as soon as she is in the faithful hands of my sister, as soon as I have placed them upon the ship sailing for Copenhagen, I return here.”
“Why should you return, my lord?” said the doctor, in terror. “Is it not sufficient that you have deprived the mother of her child? that you have branded the woman with shame before the whole world? What more would you do, my lord?”
With a strange smile, Lord Elliot laid his hand upon the doctor’s shoulder.