Blind Love

While these trifling events were in course of progress, Mr. Vimpany had

gone into the garden to read the second of the two letters, delivered

that morning, addressed to himself. On her return from the post-office,

Fanny had opportunities of observing him while she was in the

greenhouse, trying to revive the perishing flowers--neglected in the

past days of domestic trouble.

Noticing her, after he had read his letter over for the second time,

Mr. Vimpany sent the maid into the cottage to say that he wished to

speak with her master. Lord Harry joined him in the garden--looked at

the letter--and, handing it back, turned away. The doctor followed him,

and said something which seemed to be received with objection. Mr.

Vimpany persisted nevertheless, and apparently carried his point. The

two gentlemen consulted the railway time-table, and hurried away

together, to catch the train to Paris.

Fanny Mere returned to the conservatory, and absently resumed her

employment among the flowers. On what evil errand had the doctor left

the cottage? And, why, on this occasion, had he taken the master with

him?

The time had been when Fanny might have tried to set these questions at

rest by boldly following the two gentlemen to Paris; trusting to her

veil, to her luck, and to the choice of a separate carriage in the

train, to escape notice. But, although her ill-judged interference with

the domestic affairs of Lady Harry had been forgiven, she had not been

received again into favour unreservedly. Conditions were imposed, which

forbade her to express any opinion on her master's conduct, and which

imperatively ordered her to leave the protection of her mistress--if

protection was really needed--in his lordship's competent hands. "I

gratefully appreciate your kind intentions," Iris had said, with her

customary tenderness of regard for the feelings of others; "but I never

wish to hear again of Mr. Vimpany, or of the strange suspicions which

he seems to excite in your mind." Still as gratefully devoted to Iris

as ever, Fanny viewed the change in my lady's way of thinking as one of

the deplorable results of her return to her husband, and waited

resignedly for the coming time when her wise distrust of two

unscrupulous men would be justified.

Condemned to inaction for the present, Lady Harry's maid walked

irritably up and down the conservatory, forgetting the flowers. Through

the open back door of the cottage the cheap clock in the hall poured

its harsh little volume of sound, striking the hour. "I wonder," she

said to herself, "if those two wicked ones have found their way to a

hospital yet?" That guess happened to have hit the mark. The two wicked

ones were really approaching a hospital, well known to the doctor by

more previous visits than one. At the door they were met by a French

physician, attached to the institution--the writer of the letter which

had reached Mr. Vimpany in the morning.