"Then, Lionel, I'll have Jan—if I must have any one. I have more faith in him," she added, lifting her large blue eyes, "than in Dr. West."
"Let it be Jan, then, Decima. Send one of the servants for him at once. What is to be done about Miss Tempest?"
"You must go alone. Unless you can persuade mamma out. Lionel, you will tell mamma about this. She must be told."
As Lionel crossed the hall on his return, the door was being opened; the Verner's Pride carriage had just driven up. Lady Verner had seen it from the window of the ante-room, and her eyes spoke her displeasure.
"Lionel, what brings that here?"
"I told them to bring it for Decima. I thought you would prefer that Miss Tempest should be met with that rather than with a hired one."
"Miss Tempest will know soon enough that I am too poor to keep a carriage," said Lady Verner. "Decima may use it if she pleases. I would not."
"My dear mother, Decima will not be able to use it. She cannot go to the station. She has hurt her foot."
"How did she do that?"
"She was on a chair in the store-room, looking in the cupboard. She—"