"
"And when the man comes," Lord Harry added, "what am I to say to my
wife? How am I to find an excuse, when she hears of a hospital patient
who has taken possession of your bed-room at the cottage--and has done
it with my permission, and with you to attend on him?"
The doctor sipped his coffee. "We have told a story that has satisfied
the authorities," he said coolly. "Repeat the story to your wife."
"She won't believe it," Lord Harry replied.
Mr. Vimpany waited until he had lit another cigar, and had quite
satisfied himself that it was worth smoking.
"You have yourself to thank for that obstacle," he resumed. "If you had
taken my advice, your wife would have been out of our way by this time.
I suppose I must manage it. If you fail, leave her ladyship to me. In
the meanwhile, there's a matter of more importance to settle first. We
shall want a nurse for our poor dear invalid. Where are we to find
her?"
As he stated that difficulty, he finished his coffee, and looked about
him for the bottle of brandy which always stood on the dinner-table. In
doing this, he happened to notice Fanny. Convinced that her mistress
was in danger, after what she had already heard, the maid's anxiety and
alarm had so completely absorbed her that she had forgotten to play her
part.
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