There
was a hunting up of ulsters and umbrellas; one associate after another
got her flock together, and clattered downstairs, either to get into
vans, to walk to the station, or to disperse to their homes in the
town.
Meantime Lord Rotherwood had time to explain that he was on his way to
fetch his wife home from some German baths, where she had gone to
recruit after the season; and, as he meant to cross at night, had come
to spend a few hours with his cousin. There was still an hour to
spare, during which Lady Merrifield insisted that he must have more
solid food than G.F.S. provided.
'Lily,' said Miss Mohun, as the elders walked to the house together,
'it strikes me that Rotherwood could satisfy your mind about that
letter. He would know the handwriting. You remember a certain
brother--very much in law--of Maurice's?'
'I have reason to do so,' said Lord Rotherwood. 'You don't mean that
he has been troubling Lily?'
'No; but from the nature of the animal it is much to be apprehended
that he will,' said Miss Mohun, 'if he knows that the child is here.'
'In fact,' said Lady Merrifield, 'Jane has made me suppress, till
examination, a letter to her, in case it should be from him. It is a
horrid thing to do. What do you think, Rotherwood?'
'There should be no correspondence. Did not Maurice warn you? Then he
ought. Look here, Lily. His wife--under strong compulsion from the
fellow, I should think--begged me to find some employment for him.
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