He brought
her home in time to give her grandmother an hour for letter-writing
before luncheon, while he walked up and down the terrace below Lady
Maulevrier's windows, meditating the course he was to take.
He was to leave Westmoreland next day to take his place in the House of
Lords during the last important debate of the session. He made up his
mind that before he left he would seek an interview with Lady
Maulevrier, and boldly ask her to explain the mystery of that old man's
presence at Fellside. He was her kinsman by marriage, and he had sworn
to honour her and to care for her as a son; and as a son he would urge
her to confide in him, to unburden her conscience of any dark secret,
and to make the crooked things straight, before she was called away.
While he was forecasting this interview, meeting imaginary objections,
arguing points which might have to be argued, a servant came out to him
with an ochre envelope on a little silver tray--that unpleasant-looking
envelope which seems always a presage of trouble, great or small.
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