The New Magdalen

Julian understood the allusion. He made no reply.

"The people at the police station close by," pursued Lady Janet, "have

instructions to send an experienced man, in plain clothes, to any

address indicated on your card the moment they receive it. That is what

you told me. For Grace's protection, I want your card before you leave

us."

It was impossible for Julian to mention the reasons which now forbade

him to make use of his own precautions--in the very face of the

emergency which they had been especially intended to meet. How could he

declare the true Grace Roseberry to be mad? How could he give the true

Grace Roseberry into custody? On the other hand, he had personally

pledged himself (when the circumstances appeared to require it) to place

the means of legal protection from insult and annoyance at his aunt's

disposal. And now, there stood Lady Janet, unaccustomed to have her

wishes disregarded by anybody, with her band extended, waiting for the

card!

What was to be done? The one way out of the difficulty appeared to be to

submit for the moment. If he succeeded in discovering the missing woman,

he could easily take care that she should be subjected to no needless

indignity. If she contrived to slip into the house in his absence,

he could provide against that contingency by sending a second card

privately to the police station, forbidding the officer to stir in the

affair until he had received further orders. Julian made one stipulation

only before he handed his card to his aunt.

"You will not use this, I am sure, without positive and pressing

necessity," he said. "But I must make one condition. Promise me to keep

my plan for communicating with the police a strict secret--"

"A strict secret from Grace?" interposed Lady Janet. (Julian bowed.) "Do

you suppose I want to frighten her? Do you think I have not had anxiety

enough about her already? Of course I shall keep it a secret from

Grace!"

Re-assured on this point, Julian hastened out into the grounds. As soon

as his back was turned Lady Janet lifted the gold pencil-case which hung

at her watch-chain, and wrote on her nephew's card (for the information

of the officer in plain clothes), "_You are wanted at Mablethorpe

House_." This done, she put the card into the old-fashioned pocket of

her dress, and returned to the dining-room.

Grace was waiting, in obedience to the instructions which she had

received.

For the first moment or two not a word was spoken on either side. Now

that she was alone with her adopted daughter, a certain coldness and

hardness began to show itself in Lady Janet's manner. The discovery that

she had made on opening the drawing-room door still hung on her mind.

Julian had certainly convinced her that she had misinterpreted what she

had seen; but he had convinced her against her will. She had found Mercy

deeply agitated; suspiciously silent. Julian might be innocent, she

admitted--there was no accounting for the vagaries of men. But the case

of Mercy was altogether different. Women did not find themselves in the

arms of men without knowing what they were about. Acquitting Julian,

Lady Janet declined to acquit Mercy. "There is some secret understanding

between them," thought the old lady, "and she's to blame; the women

always are!"