And so the order was given to drive to the asylum, Alison marvelling

at the courage which prompted this most unexpected assault upon the

fortress that had repulsed two such warriors as Colonel Keith and Mrs.

Kelland. But timid and tender as she might be, it was not for nothing

that Fanny Temple had been a vice-queen, so much accustomed to be

welcomed wherever she penetrated, that the notion of a rebuff never

suggested itself.

Coombe rang, and his lady made him let herself and Miss Williams out, so

that she was on the step when the rough charwoman opened the door, and

made the usual reply that Mr. Mauleverer was not within. Lady Temple

answered that it was Mrs. Rawlins, the matron, that she wished to see,

and with more audacity than Alison thought her capable of, inserted

herself within the doorway, so as to prevent herself from being shut out

as the girl took her message. The next moment the girl came back saying,

"This way, ma'am," opened the door of a small dreary, dusty, cold

parlour, where she shut them in, and disappeared before a word could be

said.

There they remained so long, that in spite of such encouragement

as could be derived from peeping over the blinds at Coombe standing

sentinel over his two young masters at the carriage window, Lady Temple

began to feel some dismay, though no repentance, and with anxious

iteration conjured Miss Williams to guess what could be the cause of

delay.

"Making ready for our reception," was Alison's answer in various forms;

and Lady Temple repeated by turns, "I do not like it," and "it is very

unsatisfactory. No, I don't like it at all," the at all always growing

more emphatic.

The climax was, "Things must be very sad, or they would never take so

much preparation. I'll tell you, Miss Williams," she added in a low

confidential tone; "there are two of us, and the woman cannot be in two

places at once. Now, if you go up and see the rooms and all, which I saw

long ago, I could stay and talk to the poor children."

Alison was the more surprised at the simple statecraft of the General's

widow, but it was prompted by the pitiful heart yearning over the

mysterious wrongs of the poor little ones.

At last Mrs. Rawlins sailed in, crape, streamers, and all, with the

lowest of curtsies and fullest of apologies for having detained her

Ladyship, but she had been sending out in pursuit of Mr. Mauleverer, he

would be so disappointed! Lady Temple begged to see the children, and

especially Lovedy, whom she said she should like to take home for a

holiday.

"Why, my lady, you see Mr. Mauleverer is very particular. I hardly know

that I could answer it to him to have one of his little darlings out of

his sight. It unsettles a child so to be going home, and Lovedy has a

bad cold, my lady, and I am afraid it will run through the house. My

little Alice is beginning of it."




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