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  ‘No,’ said Jessamy humbly. ‘If he wakes shall I call you?’

  ‘He won’t wake: I’ve drugged him, for I want him to sleep for as long as possible. Off with you!’ He watched Jessamy hurry out of the room, grimaced at Alverstoke, and adjusted the sling he had knotted round Beenish’s neck. ‘I’ve done with you now,’ he said. ‘Let it be a lesson to you! If the Almighty had meant men to fly He’d have provided us with wings! You’d best sit still for a while.’

  ‘Oh, this is nothing!’ Beenish said cheerfully. ‘I’m in a capital way, doctor – thanking you for what you’ve done! I only wish the little fellow hadn’t had the worst of it. I’ll be off now to see if they’ve rescued the balloon.’

  ‘More guts than brains!’ said the doctor, as the door shut behind Beenish. ‘Balloons – ! What next, pray?’

  ‘Felix might furnish you with the answer: I can’t,’ replied Alverstoke, stripping off his driving-coat, and casting it over a chair. ‘Now, doctor, if you please! How seriously is that boy hurt?’

  The doctor, packing the instruments of his trade into his bag, said gruffly: ‘Ask me tomorrow, my lord. I wasn’t shamming it when I told you it was early days yet. Not but what I would have done so, while that brother of his was here! I know his kind, and I don’t want him on my hands as well. More nerves than flesh! Well, the other one – what do you call him? Felix? – ay, well, he’s broken no bones but what I told you, and you’ve no need to trouble yourself over a couple of ribs. He’s suffered a severe shock, however – which is why I’ve given him pretty well as much laudanum as he can hold! In general, I don’t do so – don’t believe in it! – but in such cases as this it’s of the first importance to keep the patient quiet. I don’t set much store by the head-pains, but there’s no knowing yet, and if you’re thinking of removing him from here, my lord, you’ll do it against my advice!’

  ‘Rest assured, doctor, that I have no such intention!’

  ‘Good! But, unless I’m much mistaken, the boy will need careful nursing, and there’s the rub. Judbrook is a decent fellow, but that sister of his can’t be depended on, and the devil of it is I can’t send in a nurse. There’s only one hereabouts, and she has a cross-birth on her hands –’

  ‘If,’ interrupted his lordship, ‘you are referring to a Mrs Hucknall, we need not waste our time in discussing her merits! Miss Judbrook has already informed me that when Mrs Hucknall enters the house, she will leave it. Let me reassure you on one point at least! Tomorrow, either Felix’s aunt, or, more probably, his sister, Miss Merriville, will come here to nurse him. Now tell me, without roundaboutation, what it is that you fear!’

  Dr Elcot, strapping his bag, did not answer for a moment. He was frowning heavily, and at last said: ‘That boy, my lord, was cold to the marrow!’

  ‘My guardianship is of very recent date, but I have it, on the authority of Miss Merriville, that Felix is subject to some chest-complaint, which she called bronchitis.’

  The doctor snorted. ‘Oh, yes! A new word for an old complaint! If nothing worse than that befalls him, he may think himself fortunate! I’m saying no more until I know more, my lord. We shall see! Polly Judbrook is a crossgrained spinster, but at least she had enough sense to wrap the boy up in blankets, and to put a hot brick to his feet. He’s a stout-looking lad, too – an excellent constitution, I should suppose!’ He added brusquely: ‘Send for one of your London practitioners, if you choose, my lord: I’ve no objection! He can tell you no more, at this present, than I can, and he wouldn’t give you any other directions. Keep the boy warm, and quiet, let him drink as much barley-water as he likes – I’ve told Polly to make some, and she’ll do it, never fear! – and, if he should be feverish, give him a saline draught! I’ll make one up, and send my man over with it. No hot wine, mind, or any other old woman’s remedy!’ He paused, and eyed the Marquis doubtfully. ‘I take it your lordship means to remain with him?’

  ‘Naturally! But as I have little or no experience of illness, and have never before attempted to nurse a sick person, I shall be obliged to you, doctor, if you will tell me exactly what I am to expect, and to do; and where, in case of need, you are to be found.’

  ‘Anyone here could tell you that; and if there were to be any alarming change in the boy’s condition Judbrook would send one of his lads to fetch me. I might come, too,’ he said, with a flash of mordant humour, ‘for you look to me like a rational man, my lord: not one to fly into a great fuss because a sick boy might become a trifle delirious when the drug wears off. His case isn’t desperate. I’ll visit him in the morning.’

  When the doctor had gone away, the Marquis spent several minutes considering his situation. It was certainly unusual; and while he was prepared to deal with it without losing either his head or his sangfroid, he could have wished, glancing at the few scribbled reminders the doctor had given him, that these instructions had been rather more extensive. He looked a little ruefully at the paper, before folding it, and slipping it into his pocketbook, and going out to find Curry.

  ‘Properly in the briars we are, my lord!’ said Curry. ‘They tell me – Betty, and the old griffin – that Master Felix is going to cut his stick, but I hope and trust that ain’t so?’

  ‘No, I think not. Curry, I’m going to send you back to London.’

  ‘You are, my lord?’ Curry said, staring at him.

  ‘Yes, and as soon as possible,’ said Alverstoke, drawing out his watch. ‘You should be there well before midnight: change horses as often as you think desirable! You are going to take Mr Jessamy with you: he can do no good here, and Miss Merriville might well believe that matters are far more serious than they are if neither he nor I returned to London tonight. He may even be of assistance to her, and can at all events bear her company tomorrow, when I am very sure she will come to nurse Master Felix.’

  ‘If he don’t throw her into gloom,’ said Curry. ‘He was fretting like a fly in a tar-box all the way here, my lord!’

  ‘He was indeed! But, unless I am much mistaken in him, he won’t do so when he feels himself to be responsible for her. You’ll drive back to Watford in the phaeton, and leave it there. The rest of the journey by post: you can take this!’

  Accepting the roll of bills, Curry demurred a little. ‘You might need ’em, my lord!’

  ‘Not immediately. You will bring me a fresh supply tomorrow: Mr Trevor will attend to that. When you reach Upper Wimpole Street, try for a word with Miss Merriville! Inform her that my travelling-carriage will take her up tomorrow at whatever hour she may appoint, but don’t allow her to set out tonight! I think she has too much sense to do so. When you have arranged matters with her, go on to Alverstoke House, and give Mr Trevor the letter I am about to write to him. He’ll do the rest. You will escort Miss Merriville here – or possibly Miss Winsham – tomorrow, as far as to Watford, where you may pick up the grays, and my phaeton, and bring them to me here. And understand this, Curry! I am putting you in command of this journey, and if Miss Merriville should talk of hiring a post-chaise, or some such thing, you will tell her that my orders are that she is to travel in my carriage – which will certainly be needed when it becomes possible to remove Master Felix from this place. Now try if you can procure a pen, some ink, and some writing-paper from that extremely disobliging woman, and bring them to me in the parlour! It might be as well to puff off my consequence, perhaps!’

  ‘Oh, I’ve done that, my lord!’ returned Curry, grinning at him. ‘A regular brimstone, she is! But I said to her: “What his lordship wants,” I said, “he’ll pay for – handsome!” which made her change her note, my lord!’

  ‘I’m happy to hear it. Tell her to hire a woman from the village – as many women as she wants – and hang it up to me! Where’s her brother? Have you seen him?’

  ‘Not yet, I haven’t, my lord. He went off with some of his lads to help get that balloon packed up, and loaded on to his wagon – which is another thing Miss Brimstone don’t like!’

  ‘You astonish m