"What am I to do? She must be in London, and who knows what may befall her?"
"I cannot tell you what you should do. Of course you would like to know where she is; and I fancy she would have no objection herself to letting you know that she was all right, so long as she knew that you would not go near her. I don't think she has taken so decided a step merely for the purpose of being coaxed back again: that is not Sheila's way."
"I won't go near her," he said. "I only want to know that she is safe and well. I will do whatever she likes, but I must know where she is, and that she has come to no harm."
"Well," said Ingram slowly, "I was talking the matter over with Mrs. Lorraine last night—"
"Does she know?" said Lavender, wincing somewhat.
"Certainly," Ingram answered. "I did not tell her. I had promised to go up there about something quite different, when she immediately began to tell me the news. Of course it was impossible to conceal such a thing. Don't all the servants about know?"
"I don't care who knows," said Lavender moodily. "What does Mrs. Lorraine say about this affair?"
"Mrs. Lorraine says that it serves you right," said Ingram bluntly.
"Thank her very much! I like candor, especially in a fair-weather friend."
"Mrs. Lorraine is a better friend to you than you imagine," Ingram said, taking no notice of the sneer. "When she thought that your going to their house continually was annoying Sheila, she tried to put a stop to it for Sheila's sake. And now, at this very moment, she is doing her very best to find out where Sheila is; and if she succeeds she means to go and plead your cause with the girl."