Some strange feverish power seemed to enter into her and give her a fitful strength. She sat down at her husband’s desk and began writing rapidly, and as the thoughts came to her; and when she had finished, she inclosed her letter with the torn fragment, and, after addressing it, sealed it carefully. As she did so she heard footsteps approaching the library, and slipped it hurriedly into the open drawer, and the next moment Sir Hugh entered with a telegram in his hand.
“I have been looking all over the place for you, Fay,” he began, hurriedly; “and not a soul seemed to know where you were. Look here; I have just had this telegram from Fitz. He wants me to come up to town at once. I believe we have to start earlier than we intended.”
And as Fay seemed to have no answer ready, he went on “I am so vexed about it, my pet, for I meant to have driven you over to Pierrepoint after luncheon; you looked so pale this morning, and I had to arrange about so many things. Well, it can not be helped; Saville is packing my ‘Gladstone,’ and I have not a moment to lose.”
“Do you mean you are going off to Egypt now?” asked Fay, hardly able to articulate—her lips had grown quite white. What if she should be too late after all!
“Egypt indeed! What a child you are, Fay; one can never make you understand things. No, I am going up to London to get what I want, and meet Egerton and Powis, the other fellows who are to join us. I shall sleep at the club to-night, and you may expect me to be down to dinner to-morrow. The next day—” here he hesitated; “well, there is time enough to talk of saying good-bye then.”
“Yes, yes, I understand now. Go and get ready; and, Hugh, don’t forget to kiss baby.”
“All right,” he laughed good-humoredly; and then Fay stood quite still, holding the table, till he came back.
“My traps are in the hall; I must say good-bye quickly, darling.” How handsome, how well he looked, as he stooped over her with his plaid over his arm.
He need not be fearful of her detaining him; there was no clinging, no agony of weeping this time. She put her two hands round his neck and held him for a moment, as her cold lips touched his, and then stood quite still and waved to him—sadly, quietly—from the window as he drove past, and that was all.