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"You want the light, I believe, more than I do," said his lordship, advancing with the lamp to meet her. "Well! what is the matter with this confounded lock of yours, Lady Delacour? I know I should be at Studley's by this time but how in the devil's name can you expect me to open a secret lock when I do not know the secret, Lady Delacour?"
Rose uttered her soft, artificial laugh. "She is Sir Eustace Studley's sister. Rather peculiar, I believe, even eccentric. But I understand they are of very good birth." "That covers a multitude of sins," he commented. "She's been a mighty handsome woman in her day. She must be many years older than Sir Eustace. She looks more like his mother than his sister."
What object can anyone have in scaring me to death? Besides, there is no one in the room, that I can swear. My outer door is locked, Lady Studley's outer door is locked. It is impossible that there can be any trickery in the matter." I said nothing for a moment. I no more believed in ghosts than I ever did, but I felt certain that there was grave mischief at work.
"And, O night of wonders! if we can get him through the evening without the help of Lord Studley's wine. You must give us some music, my good Belinda, and make him accompany you with his flute.
Lord Delacour has let his talents go to sleep in a shameless manner; but really he has talents, if they could be wakened. By-the-by, pray make him tell you the story of Lord Studley's original Titian: he tells that story with real humour. Perhaps you have not found it out, but Lord Delacour has a vast deal of drollery in his own way, and " "Dinner's ready, my lady!"
His lordship had then recourse to his watch, his never-failing friend in need, which he always pulled out with a particular jerk when he was vexed. "It is time for me to be gone I shall be late at Studley's." "You dine with his lordship then?" said Lady Delacour, in a careless tone. "Yes; and his good burgundy, I hope, will wind me up again," said he, stretching himself, "for I am quite down."
"I have promised to sing at to-night's concert and the padre wants to look through my songs. Well, Dinah, my dear, how are you getting on? Is that a letter to your mother?" Dinah suppressed a sigh. "Yes. I've only just begun it. I don't know in the least what to say." Rose lifted her pretty brows. "What about your new friend Sir Eustace Studley's sister? Wouldn't she be interested to hear of her?
She touched my hand with fingers that burnt like a living coal and left the room. I thought her very ill, and was sure that if I could see my way to spending a week at Studley Grange, I should have two patients instead of one. It is always difficult for a busy doctor to leave home, but after carefully thinking matters over, I resolved to comply with Lady Studley's request.
Try as I would, however, I could not find the spring, and I had at last to leave Lady Studley's room and go back to the one occupied by her husband, by the ordinary door. Once more I re-entered the wardrobe and deliberately broke off the button which opened the secret door from within. Anyone who now entered the wardrobe by this door, and shut it behind him, would find it impossible to retreat.
Who was the person who glided night after night into Lady Studley's room, who knew the trick of the secret spring in the wall, who entered the old wardrobe, and performed this ghastly, this appalling trick on Sir Henry Studley? I resolved that I would say nothing to Sir Henry of my fresh discovery until after I had spent another night in the haunted room.
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