But suddenly she felt that she had made a mistake in dismissing the
footman, that the pain of inaction was too great for her to bear. She
could not just--do nothing. She could not, and she got up swiftly and
rang the bell. The man did not return. She pressed the bell again. After
three or four minutes he came in, looking rather flushed and put out.
"I want you to take a note to Eaton Square," she said. "It will be ready
in five minutes."
"Yes, my lady."
She went to her writing table and wrote this note to Leo Ulford:
"DEAR MR. ULFORD,--I am grieved to play you false, but I am too
tired to-night to come on. Probably you are amusing yourself. I
am sitting here alone over such a dull book. One can't go to bed
at twelve, somehow, even if one is tired. The habit of the season's
against early hours and one couldn't sleep. Be nice and come in for
five minutes on your way home, and tell me all about it. I know you
pass the end of the square, so it won't be out of your way.--Yours
very sincerely, V. H."
After writing this note Lady Holme hesitated for a moment, then she went
to a writing table, opened a drawer and took out a tiny, flat key. She
enclosed it in two sheets of thick note paper, folded the note also round
it, and put it into an envelope which she carefully closed. After writing
Leo Ulford's name on the envelope she rang again for the footman.
"Take this to Eaton Square," she said, naming the number of the house.
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