Colonel Osborne would understand the whole matter.  He had doubtless in his anger intended that Colonel Osborne should understand the whole matter; but he was calmer now than he had been then, and almost wished that the command given by him had not been so definite and imperious.  He remained with his arm on the mantel-piece, thinking of it, for some ten minutes, and then went up into the drawing-room.  ‘Emily,’ he said, walking up to the table at which she was sitting, ‘you had better read that letter.’

‘I would so much rather not,’ she replied haughtily.

‘Then Nora can read it.  It concerns you both equally.’

Nora, with hesitating hand, took the letter and read it.  ’They are not to come after all,’ said she, ‘till next February.’

‘And why not?’ asked Mrs Trevelyan.

‘Something about the session.  I don’t quite understand.’

‘Lord Bowles is to come from Canada,’ said Louis, ’and they think he would prefer being here in the winter.  I dare say he would.’

‘But what has that to do with papa?’

‘I suppose they must both be here together,’ said Nora.

‘I call that very hard indeed,’ said Mrs Trevelyan.

‘I can’t agree with you there,’ said her husband.  ’His coming at all is so much of a favour that it is almost a job.’

‘I don’t see that it is a job at all,’ said Mrs Trevelyan.  ’Somebody is wanted, and nobody can know more of the service than papa does.  But as the other man is a lord I suppose papa must give way.  Does he say anything about mamma, Nora?’

‘You had better read the letter yourself,’ said Trevelyan, who was desirous that his wife should know of the threatened visit.

’No, Louis, I shall not do that.  You must not blow hot and cold too.  Till the other day I should have thought that Colonel Osborne’s letters were as innocent as an old newspaper.  As you have supposed them to be poisoned I will have nothing to do with them.’

This speech made him very angry.  It seemed that his wife, who had yielded to him, was determined to take out the value of her submission in the most disagreeable words which she could utter.  Nora now closed the letter and handed it back to her brother-in-law.  He laid it down on the table beside him, and sat for a while with his eyes fixed upon his book.  At last he spoke again.  ’Colonel Osborne says that he will call tomorrow at luncheon time.  You can admit him, if you please, and thank him for the trouble he has taken in this matter.’

‘I shall not remain in the room if he be admitted,’ said Mrs Trevelyan.

There was silence again for some minutes, and the cloud upon Trevelyan’s brow became blacker than before.  Then he rose from his chair and walked round to the sofa on which his wife was sitting.  ‘I presume,’ said he, ’that your wishes and mine in this matter must be the same.’

‘I cannot tell what your wishes are,’ she replied.  ’I never was more in the dark on any subject in my life.  My wishes at present are confined to a desire to save you as far as may be possible from the shame which must be attached to your own suspicions.’