“I’ve seen them both.  It’s all right.  Keep up your courage!”

“Go!  Go!” whispered May in fright.  “Someone will see us.”

“At lunch!”

He pressed her hand, smiled like a general in the thick of battle, and hurried away.  Scarcely had he vanished through the portal, when Constance, issuing from the library, encountered Miss Tomalin.  May uttered an unnaturally suave “good-morning!” The other looked her in the eye, and said in a voice of satisfaction: 

“Mr. Lashmar has just been here.  Didn’t you see him?”

“Mr. Lashmar?—­No.”

Gazing full at the oonfused face, Constance smiled, and passed on.

CHAPTER XXIII

At the door of the breakfast-room, Miss Bride was approached by Lady Ogram’s maid, who in an undertone informed her that Dr. Baldwin had been sent for.  Lady Ogram had passed a very bad night, but did not wish it to be made known to her guests, whom she hoped to meet at luncheon.  Of the possibility of this, the maid declared herself very doubtful; she did not think the doctor would allow her mistress to get up.

“Let me know when the doctor is leaving,” said Constance.  “I should like to see him.”

Sir William and his wife breakfasted with the two young ladies.  Lord Dymchurch did not appear.  When the others had left the room, Constance asked a servant if his lordship was down yet, and learnt that he had this morning gone away, leaving a note for Lady Ogram.  At the same moment, word was brought to Miss Bride that Dr. Baldwin waited in the library.  Constance replied that she would see him.  Then, turning to the other attendant, she asked whether Lord Dymchurch’s note had been delivered to Lady Ogram.  It lay, she learnt, with the rest of the morning’s letters, which the maid had not yet taken up.  Thereupon Constance sought and found it, and carried it with her as she entered the library.

“How do you find your patient, doctor?” she inquired, in her usual tone.

“Quite unfit to get up to-day, though I fear she is determined to do so,” replied Dr. Baldwin.  “Wonderful, the influence of her mind upon her physical state.  I found her alarmingly weak, but, as usual, she insisted on hearing the news of the town, and something I was able to tell her acted with more restorative force than any drug in the pharmacopaeia.”

“What was that?”

“Mr. Robb’s will.  I hear on good authority that he leaves not a penny to our hospital.  Lady Ogram was delighted.  It makes the field clear for her.  She declares that she will buy the site on Burgess Hill immediately.  The will is dated fifteen years ago, they say; no doubt he meant to make another.”

“That, I am sure, was a cordial,” exclaimed Constance.  “Impossible for Mr. Robb to have done Lady Ogram a greater kindness.”