"Hateful man! I too loathe the
thought of meeting him. But you know how delicate Evelyn is, and how she
has been depending on me to help her. Now, oughtn't we to go back to
Oliver?" She rose from her chair.
"Mr. Nixon left some directions to which I must attend," said Lady Lucy,
turning to her desk. "Will you go and read to him?"
Alicia moved away, but paused as she neared the door.
"What did Mr. Nixon say about Oliver's eyes? He has been suffering from
them dreadfully to-day."
"Everything is connected. We can only wait."
"Are you--are you thinking of a nurse?"
"No," said Lady Lucy, decidedly. "His man Richard is an excellent nurse.
I shall never leave him--and you say"--she turned pointedly to look at
Alicia--"you say you will come back?"
"Of course!--of course I will come back!" cried Alicia. Then, stepping
up briskly to Lady Lucy, she stooped and kissed her. "And there is you
to look after, too!"
Lady Lucy allowed the kiss, but made no reply to the remark. Alicia
departed.
* * * * *
She went slowly up the wide oak staircase. How stifling the house was on
this delicious afternoon! Suddenly, in the distance, she heard the sound
of guns--a shooting-party, no doubt, in the Melford woods.
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