Instead of answering immediately, Georgia drew her to the window and threw open the lattice, so that the light fell full on the faces of both.
“Have you confidence in me, Lady Haigh?—as a doctor, I mean?”
“Every confidence, Georgie. I would sooner have you to attend me if I was ill than any male doctor I know. But why do you ask? Oh, my dear, don’t—don’t tell me that it is anything about Dugald! He doesn’t seem quite so strong here, I know; but it is only the change of air. Don’t say that he is really worse!”
“No, that is not what I wanted to say, though it has to do with Sir Dugald. Just before we left Kubbet-ul-Haj, Lady Haigh, I found out the name of the poison Fath-ud-Din used against him. Now I have the chance of obtaining the antidote; but that involves my going to Bir-ul-Malikat, and perhaps remaining there for several days, attending Fath-ud-Din’s daughter. If I can cure her, I am to have the remedy given to me. What I want to know is, if I obtain the antidote, will you let me use it for Sir Dugald?”
“But you must not go, Georgie! I can’t let you run into danger, and what you propose would be fearfully dangerous.”
“That is not the question, Lady Haigh; and the danger is my affair. You can’t prevent my going, except by assuring me that you won’t let me try the antidote.”
“Oh, Georgie, how can you be so unkind?” And Lady Haigh fairly broke down. “He is getting worse, I know it; and he will slip away without ever recognising me or speaking to me again. I ought to prevent your going, I know; but I can’t. Oh, what will Major North say to me? No, Georgie, don’t go! We have had our share of happiness, Dugald and I; and how can I dare to risk your future and Major North’s? Oh, why did you ask me, and make me pronounce my husband’s death-sentence? No, don’t mind what I say; I am nearly mad with trouble. You are not to go.”
“Nevertheless, I am going,” said Georgia, her face very pale. “My only condition is that you are to use the antidote, if I can get it sent to you, whatever happens to me. You are quite right—I ought not to have asked you. It was only that it struck me suddenly that you might listen to Dick and Mr Stratford again, and it would all be no use. You promise me that you will try the antidote, if I can get it?”
“Nothing can be worse than his state now,” sobbed Lady Haigh. “Yes, I will use it, Georgie. How could I do otherwise, when you are risking your life to obtain it for him? You believe in it, I can see that.”
“I do, and I hope that before long you will have good cause to believe in it too. Now I must tell Mr Stratford of my intended mission. I shall say nothing about the antidote, but I won’t get into trouble again by going off without leave.”