"Molly."
This letter I folded, sealed, addressed, and dropped into my pocket. Then I bade Molly good-night, entreated her to be thankful for her escape, and so left her with a light heart; verily it seemed as if the sadness of the last two months had been wholly and suddenly lifted. On my way back to the "Crown" I passed the Lady Anastasia's lodging just as her chair was brought to the house. I opened the door for her and stood hat in hand.
"Why, it is Jack," she cried. "It is the sailor Jack—the constant lover. Have you anything more to tell me?"
"Only that Molly will not keep that appointment of to-morrow morning."
"Oh! That interesting appointment in St. Nicholas Church. May a body ask why the ceremony has been postponed?"
"Things have been disclosed at the last moment. Fortunately, in time."
"What things, and by whom?"
"By letter. It is stated as a fact well known that Lord Fylingdale is nothing better than a ruined rake and a notorious gamester."
"Indeed? The excellent Lord Fylingdale? Impossible! Quite impossible! The illustrious example of so many virtues! The explanations will be, I am sure, complete and satisfactory. Ruined? A rake? A notorious gamester? What next will the world say? Does his lordship know of this discovery? Not yet. You said it was a discovery, did you not? Well, my friend, I am much obliged to you for telling me. You are quite sure Molly will not be there? Very good of you to tell me. For my own part I start for London quite early—at five o'clock. Good-bye, Jack."
Then I went in to the "Crown," where I learned that the captain had been reading another letter containing accusations as bad as those in the other two.