"May I ask what the condition of your patient is by this time?"
The doctor did not answer in words, but gave his eyebrows and shoulders a simultaneous shrug.
"Dear me! as bad as that, eh?" The countess intended both her words and the tone in which they were spoken to be sympathetic, but the look of satisfaction on her crafty old face altogether belied her intentions.
"I presume there will be no objection to my seeing your patient in the course of the day?"
"If the earl himself has no objection, madam, I can have none. Indeed, I may add that any relatives or friends who may be desirous of seeing his lordship had better be summoned with as little delay as possible."
"Except myself, his lordship has no near relatives," said the countess. "I will, of course, stay with him till all is over."
Her ladyship having disposed of a cutlet and a glass and a half of old port, and having had a forty minutes' snooze in an easy-chair, sent word in to the earl that she should like to see him if he were at liberty to receive her. The earl gave orders that she should be admitted at once.
But before this took place Lord Loughton had requested that a telegram might be despatched to Clement Fildew. It was sent in the name of the landlord of the hotel, and ran as follows: "You are wanted immediately at the George Hotel, Brimley, on a matter of life and death. Do not delay."
Clement wondered greatly at receiving such a summons, but at once prepared to obey it. The most likely solution that presented itself to him was that he was wanted to paint the portrait of some one who was in extremis, so he went prepared accordingly.
The countess and Mr. Boscombe had reached Brimley about one o'clock. The train Clement travelled by was timed to reach there about 4.30. As it happened, Mr. Flicker went down by the same train.