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ON the next day Mountjoy heard news of Iris, which was not of a nature to relieve his anxieties. He received a visit from Fanny Mere. The leave-taking of Mr. Vimpany, on the previous evening, was the first event which the maid had to relate. She had been present when the doctor said good-bye to the master and mistress. Business in London was the reason he gave for going away.
"We are none of us old enough," he reminded her, "to decide whether Sir Joshua's brush has been guilty of flattery or not." He turned to Mrs. Vimpany, and attempted to look into her life from a new point of view. "When Miss Henley was so fortunate as to make your acquaintance," he said, "you were travelling in Ireland. Was it your first visit to that unhappy country?"
She would stay a day, or even two days or more, if necessary, at Passy. She would make those inquiries. The second letter, which reached her the same day, was from Mr. Mountjoy. He told her what he had told Mrs. Vimpany: he would give her the money, because he recognised the spirit of fidelity which caused Fanny to go first to Paris and then to Berne.
These two women had got hold of a terrible secret. Neither of them could move. It was too big a thing. One cannot expect a woman to bring her own husband however wicked a husband he may be to the awful shame and horror of the gallows if murder should be proved or to a lifelong imprisonment if the conspiracy alone should be brought home to him. Therefore Mrs. Vimpany could do nothing.
In Hugh's state of mind, there was some irritating influence in the presence of the mistress of the house, which applied the spur to his wits. He mischievously proposed submitting to her the question in dispute between Iris and himself. "It is a very simple matter," he said to Mrs. Vimpany.
Mountjoy would kindly excuse him, he had an appointment at the office that morning. "Get your hat, Vimpany. The fact is our friend here carries a case of consumption in his pocket; consumption of the purse, you understand. I am going to enrol him among the contributors to the newspaper. My angel, show our good friend the 'Continental Herald, and mind you keep him here till we get back.
Careful morbidly careful, perhaps not to attract attention needlessly to himself, he stopped the cab at the entrance to Redburn Road, and approached Number Five on foot. A servant-girl answered the door. Mountjoy asked if Mrs. Vimpany was at home. The girl made no immediate reply. She seemed to be puzzled by Mountjoy's simple question.
"There is one question I must ask you," she said. "I have reason to fear that Lord Harry left this country, with a purpose of revenge " Mr. Vimpany wanted no further explanation. "Yes, yes; I know. You may be easy about that. There's been no mischief done, either one way or the other. With that reply, the doctor got up in a hurry to bring his visit to an end.
"But I hope to produce a better impression if you can spare me a little of your time. You may, or may not, have heard of my separation from my husband. Anyway, it is needless to trouble you on the subject; you know Mr. Vimpany; you can guess what I have suffered, and why I have left him. If he comes to you, I hope you will not tell him where Lady Harry is."
Vimpany, I shall go back to London to-night. We will travel by the night train. I feel quite strong enough. "I began this letter in Scotland; I finish it in London. "We are back again in town. Come to the hotel at once, and see us." So, there was now a Man to advise. For once, Fanny was thankful for the creation of Man.
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