At that moment Anne entered the room sweetly murmuring, "Ça va bien, chérie?"
"Help me to put the child into bed," said Geoffrey sternly. "Now ring the bell--ring it again.
"And now, woman--go. Leave this house at once, this very night. Do you hear me? No, don't stop to argue. Look here! If that child dies I will prosecute you for manslaughter; yes, I saw you in the street," and he took a step towards her. Then Anne fled, and her face was seen no more in Bolton Street or indeed in this country.
"James," said Geoffrey to the servant, "send the cook up here--she is a sensible woman; and do you take a hansom and drive to the doctor, and tell him to come here at once, and if you cannot find him go for another doctor. Then go to the Nurses' Home, near St. James' Station, and get a trained nurse--tell them one must be had from somewhere instantly."
"Yes, sir. And shall I call for her ladyship at the duchess's, sir?"
"No," he answered, frowning heavily, "do not disturb her ladyship. Go now."
"That settles it," said Geoffrey, as the man went. "Whatever happens, Honoria and I must part. I have done with her."
He had indeed, though not in the way he meant. It would have been well for Honoria if her husband's contempt had not prevented him from summoning her from her pleasure.
The cook came up, and between them they brought the child back to life.
She opened her eyes and smiled. "Is that you, daddy," she whispered, "or do I dreams?"
"Yes, dear, it is I."
"Where has you been, daddy--to see Auntie Beatrice?"
"Yes, love," he said, with a gasp.
"Oh, daddy, my head do feel funny; but I don't mind now you is come back. You won't go away no more, will you, daddy?"
"No, dear, no more."
After that she began to wander a little, and finally dropped into a troubled sleep.
Within half an hour both the doctor and the nurse arrived. The former listened to Geoffrey's tale and examined the child.
"She may pull through it," he said, "she has got a capital constitution; but I'll tell you what it is--if she had lain another five minutes in that draught there would have been an end of her. You came in the nick of time. And now if I were you I should go to bed. You can do no good here, and you look dreadfully ill yourself."
But Geoffrey shook his head. He said he would go downstairs and smoke a pipe. He did not want to go to bed at present; he was too tired.