knowledge. He would
certainly be in town; he would be in a complacent bustle with his
lawyers. She had told him that she didn't believe he had yet gone to
them, but in her heart she believed it perfectly. If he didn't satisfy
her she would go to Lady Ringrose, odious as it would be to her to ask a
favour of this depraved creature: unless indeed Lady Ringrose had joined
the little party to France, as on the occasion of Selina's last journey
thither. On her way downstairs she met one of the footmen, of whom she
made the request that he would call her a cab as quickly as
possible--she was obliged to go out for half an hour. He expressed the
respectful hope that she was better and she replied that she was
perfectly well--he would please tell her ladyship when she came in. To
this the footman rejoined that her ladyship _had_ come in--she had
returned five minutes before and had gone to her room. 'Miss Frothingham
told her you were asleep, Miss,' said the man, 'and her ladyship said it
was a blessing and you were not to be disturbed.'

'Very good, I will see her,' Laura remarked, with dissimulation: 'only
please let me have my cab.'

The footman went downstairs and she stood there listening; presently she
heard the house-door close--he had gone out on his errand. Then she
descended very softly--she prayed he might not be long. The door of the
drawing-room stood open as she passed it, and she paused before it,
thinking she heard sounds in the lower hall. They appeared to subside
and then she found herself faint--she was terribly impatient for her
cab. Partly to sit down till it came (there was a seat on the landing,
but another servant might come up or down and see her), and partly to
look, at the front window, whether it were not coming, she went for a
moment into the drawing-room. She stood at the window, but the footman
was slow; then she sank upon a chair--she felt very weak. Just after she
had done so she became aware of steps on the stairs and she got up
quickly, supposing that her messenger had returned, though she had not
heard wheels. What she saw was not the footman she had sent out, but the
expansive person of the butler, followed apparently by a visitor. This
functionary ushered the visitor in with the remark that he would call
her ladyship, and before she knew it she was face to face with Mr.
Wendover. At the same moment she heard a cab drive up, while Mr.
Wendover instantly closed the door.

'Don't turn me aw