'Here come
the servants.'
CHAPTER XIV.
A CYPHER AND A TY.
Dolores was coming down to breakfast the next morning when Colonel
Mohun's door opened. He exclaimed, 'My little Dolly, good morning!'
stooped down and kissed her.
Then, standing still a moment, and holding her hand, he said--
'Dolly, it was not you I saw at Darminster station?'
It was a terrible shock. Some one, no doubt, was trying to set him
against her. And should she betray Constance and her uncle? At any
rate, almost before she knew what she was saying, 'No, Uncle Regie,'
was out of her mouth, and her conscience was being answered with 'How
do I know it was me that he saw? these fur capes are very common.'
'I thought not,' he answered, kindly. 'Look here, Dolly, I want one
word with you. Did your father ever leave anything in charge with you
for Mr. Flinders? Did he ever speak to you about him?'
'Never,' Dolores truly answered.
'Because, my dear, though it's a hard thing to say, and your poor
mother felt bound to him, he is a slippery fellow--a scamp, in fact,
and if ever he writes to you here, you had better send the letter
straight off to me, and I'll see what's to be done. He never has, I
suppose?'
'No,' said Dolores, answering the word here, and foolishly feeling the
involvement too great, and Constance too much concerned in it for her
to confess to her uncle what had really happened. Indeed, the first
falsehood held her to the second; and there was no more time, for Lord
Rotherwood was coming out of his room further down the passage.
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