The only other alternative was to ask leave to
interrogate Moody privately, and, after duly reproving him, to insist on
the departure of Old Sharon as the one condition on which Mr. Troy would
consent to keep Lady Lydiard in ignorance of the truth.
"I think I shall manage better with Moody, if your Ladyship will permit
me to see him in private," the lawyer said. "Shall I go downstairs and
speak with him in his own room?"
"Why should you trouble yourself to do that?" said her Ladyship. "See
him here; and I will go into the boudoir."
As she made that reply, the footman appeared at the drawing-room door.
"Send Moody here," said Lady Lydiard.
The footman's answer, delivered at that moment, assumed an importance
which was not expressed in the footman's words. "My Lady," he said, "Mr.
Moody has gone out."
CHAPTER XIII.
WHILE the strange proceedings of the steward were the subject of
conversation between Lady Lydiard and Mr. Troy, Moody was alone in his
room, occupied in writing to Isabel. Being unwilling that any eyes but
his own should see the address, he had himself posted his letter; the
time that he had chosen for leaving the house proving, unfortunately,
to be also the time proposed by her Ladyship for his interview with the
lawyer. In ten minutes after the footman had reported his absence, Moody
returned. It was then too late to present himself in the drawing-room.
In the interval, Mr. Troy had taken his leave, and Moody's position had
dropped a degree lower in Lady Lydiard's estimation.
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