“True,” he muttered, with a troubled look, adding: “I shall call upon you immediately, Adrian, and I hope to persuade you to return to us—we are very lonely.”
“Thank you; but we will talk further of that another time. We shall be delighted to see you at the Langham, and I have much more to tell you regarding the circumstances of the past three or four weeks,” Adrian returned, gravely.
Meanwhile Isabel and her mother were in anything but a comfortable frame of mind.
They had been thunderstruck upon beholding Brownie, in all her glory, leaning upon Adrian’s arm.
There was no enjoyment for them after that uncomfortable encounter, and, pleading fatigue, they persuaded Sir Charles to withdraw almost immediately, while they racked their brains trying to solve the riddle of the young girl’s escape from that secret chamber.
They had returned from Paris rather earlier than they had anticipated, their arrangements regarding the trousseau having been more easily effected than they had expected, so, as Sir Charles was anxious to be back at Vallingham Hall to superintend some alterations which he desired completed before his marriage, they had hastened home.
On reaching London they had found cards awaiting them for the ball at Manchester House, and remained to attend the festivities.
They had seen hardly any one since their arrival, consequently knew nothing of the nine days’ wonder which was agitating the minds of the Londoners.
Lady Randall professed to be horrified at the course which Adrian had taken, and hoped his grandfather would disown him forever for the disgrace he had brought upon the family. She believed that he knew all the time where Miss Douglas was that evening when he had so boldly announced his betrothal, and had only told them of the engagement to soften the scandal of the act he was even then contemplating. Of course, not being cognizant of the part the Coolidges had played in the little drama, this was the only construction she would be likely to put upon the matter.
Sir Charles was highly indignant at the treatment which his party had received, while at the same time he was secretly uneasy about the whole affair.