"I said they were to go to-night. Kindly bring them at once."

Julie brought them. With groans and flinchings that she could not
repress, Lady Henry read and signed them. Then she demanded to be read
to. Julie sat down, trembling. How fast the hands of Lady Henry's clock
were moving on!

Mercifully, Lady Henry was already somewhat sleepy, partly from
weakness, partly from a dose of bromide.

"I hear nothing," she said, putting out an impatient hand. "You should
raise your voice. I didn't mean you to shout, of course. Thank
you--that'll do. Good-night. Tell Hutton to keep the house as quiet as
he can. People must knock and ring, I suppose; but if all the doors are
properly shut it oughtn't to bother me. Are you going to bed?"

"I shall sit up a little to write some letters. But--I sha'n't be
late."

"Why should you be late?" said Lady Henry, tartly, as she turned away.

* * * * *

Julie made her way down-stairs with a beating heart. All the doors were
carefully shut behind her. When she reached the hall it was already
half-past ten o'clock. She hurried to the library, the large panelled
room behind the dining-room. How bright Hutton had made it look! Up shot
her spirits. With a gay and dancing step she went from chair to chair,
arranging everything instinctively as she was accustomed to do in the
drawing-room. She made the flowers less stiff; she put on another light;
she drew one table forward and pushed its fellow back against the wall.
What a charming old room, after all! What a pity Lady Henry so seldom
used it! It was panelled in dark oak, while the drawing-room was white.
But the pictures, of which there were two or three, looked even better
here than up-stairs. That beautiful Lawrence--a "red boy" in gleaming
satin--that pair of Hoppners, fine studies in blue, why, who had ever
seen them before? And another light or two would show them still better.

A loud knock and ring. Julie held her breath. Ah! A distant voice in the
hall. She moved to the fire, and stood quietly reading an evening paper.

"Captain Warkworth would be glad if you would see him for a few minutes,
miss. He would like to ask you himself about her ladyship."

"Please ask him to come in, Hutton."

Hutton effaced himself, and the young man entered, Then Julie raised her
voice.

"Remember, please, Hutton, that I _particularly_ want to see the
Duchess."

Hutton bowed and retired. Warkworth came forward.