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"No, no. Her Grace simply wondered what had become of you, and since she is not to suffer the slightest worry I sent the servants to look for you. Will you sit with her awhile? She has been resting and now wants to be amused. You may even play a game of backgammon if you promise to lose badly, so there will be no suspense to the play."
"Of course," Maria
She found the room in semidarkness and at first thought the Duchess had gone to sleep. However, she roused when Maria
"Dreams can be very real," Maria
"It was not a dream. I saw him as plainly as I see you." Maria
A superstitious shiver ran down Maria
"It is cool here," she said. "Shall I put more wood on the fire, and light the lamps? What can I do to amuse you? The doctor says we may play backgammon if you would like."
"What, on Sunday?" The Duchess laughed. "Horace is a frightful old pagan, but I know better. Yes, light the lamps if you will, child. Tea will be coming up shortly."
Maria
The Duchess also seemed more cheerful, though she complained, half jokingly, of having a hard time keeping her eyes open.
"It must be the weather. The sound of rain always makes one sleepy. Never mind, a cup of tea will wake me up. Tell me what you have been doing all day."
Maria
"I know I should not have allowed the Duke to play on Sunday," she said apologetically. "But I did want to be friends with him, and he seemed at loose ends -"
"And that wretched Irishman sleeping off his overindulgence," the Duchess broke in. "Don't look so surprised, child; I am not incompetent yet! I began to question his influence over Henry last time I was here, and what I have seen on this visit confirms my feelings that he must be replaced. Don't apologize for breaking the Sabbath. You committed a minor sin in doing an act of kindness, which is much more important. Now tell me… Ah, here is Rose with our tea."
Maria
All at once the maid came to a dead stop, her eyes bulging. The cups and saucers on the tray rattled. Maria
She put the tray on a table. "What on earth is the matter. Rose?" she asked.
The maid tried to reply. The muscles of her throat bulged, but no sound came from her parted lips. Her staring eyes were fixed on some object behind Maria
Maria
The wall between the windows blazed with letters of fire. A large oil lamp on the table below them allowed her to read the message they spelled.
"The time is near. Come to me then."
The maid began to scream. Maria
Before she could decide, the door burst open and Dr. Gruffstone appeared. She had never admired his quickness so much; a sudden bound took him to Rose; he slapped her briskly on the cheek. Her shrieks stopped. Then the doctor turned to his patient.
"It is all right, Horace," the Duchess said calmly. "I am happy. I am at peace."
Indeed she looked quite beautiful. Smiling, flushed, except for her snow-white hair she might have been a young girl.
Gruffstone turned to Maria
"Watch that fool woman," he snarled, gesturing at Rose. "She is about to swoon. Get her into the next room, don't let her talk to the others." As she spoke he pulled his handkerchief out of his breast pocket and with one vicious sweeping gesture removed the first line of the glowing inscription. The second followed, just as a rush of footsteps heralded the arrival of Carlton.
"What in heaven's name -"
Rose proved the doctor a true prophet by collapsing into an untidy heap on the floor. Maria
"What -" Carlton began again.
"My smelling salts are in the cabinet," the Duchess said calmly. "Do what you can for her, Horace, and then please join me in a cup of tea."
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
The hour that followed was one Maria
Rose had been given a sleeping draft and was snoring on a sofa in the boudoir.
"Though heaven knows it is only postponing the inevitable," the doctor groaned, ru
"If you had not seen it too, I would think -" Carlton began. He broke off, with a sidelong look at the Duchess.
"There are enough witnesses," the doctor said gloomily.
"Then someone wrote it while the Duchess was asleep," Carlton said. "There was a period of time after you left, Gruffstone, and before Miss Ransom came in."
"I was outside the door the entire time," the doctor said.
"What about the secret passages?" Maria
A long discouraged silence followed, while they stared at one another. Maria
Finally the Duchess spoke. "You are all behaving very foolishly. There is nothing to be afraid of. Go down to di
The dismissal could not be ignored. Carlton rose uncertainly, and Maria
"Honoria," he began.
"Dear old friend." She held out her hand and the doctor took it in his. "I am perfectly well. I only want to think about… matters I have put off too long. You may come and say good night, later."
The doctor raised her hand to his lips. When he turned away Maria
Not until she glanced at herself in the mirror in her own room did Maria