"Oh, dear Lord Lackington!" Evelyn bent over him. "Trust her to me," she said, with a lovely yearning to comfort and cheer him breathing from her little face.
He smiled.
"To you--and--"
He did not finish the sentence.
After a pause he made a little gesture of farewell which the Duchess understood. She kissed his hand and turned away weeping.
"Nurse--where is nurse?" said Lord Lackington.
Both the nurse and the doctor, who had withdrawn a little distance from the family group, came forward.
"Doctor, give me some strength," said the laboring voice, not without its old wilfulness of accent.
He moved his arm towards the young homoeopath, who injected strychnine. Then he looked at the nurse.
"Brandy--and--lift me."