Page:Alice Stuyvesant - The Vanity Box.djvu/299

 Terry had been obliged to send off news of Nora's illness and consequent delay. This morning, in the haste of getting off, after the doctor's grudging permission, Terry had neglected to telegraph again, and Maud would not be looking for them to-night. She would expect to hear once more.

This, if they liked to take it so, would give Terry and Nora an excuse to remain in London after all; and Nora did wish it ardently. She had a dozen wild plans, one of which was to enlist some famous barrister on Ian Barr's side. She wanted to see one, the first thing in the morning. Would not Miss Ricardo be very good to her, and consent to stay the night in town?

This request gave Terry a new idea, at which she grasped eagerly. It seemed to her that she might go herself to Sir Ian's hotel, and speak to him. He was almost sure to be in, waiting for her letter, since he had appeared so anxious to receive it at the earliest moment, and she had half promised to send it to him by messenger. If she saw Sir Ian she could explain how she had failed to write, and surely he would rather see her, than have "thoughts" warm from her hand, set down on paper? Besides, she could tell him of Nora's wish, and ask him for the girl's sake to absolve her of her promise.

"At any rate, we will go to Brown's hotel and dine," she said to Nora. "I used always to be taken there as a very young girl, if we came up to town, and it's quiet,