Her first impulse was to go to her father, who was a lawyer and would give her good advice, but a moment's thought showed her that it would be a mistake to go to him.
Being no longer immobilised by a sprained ankle, Lord Creedmore would probably leave England instantly in pursuit of Leven himself, and no one could tell what the consequences might be if he caught him; they would certainly be violent, and they might be disastrous.
Then Lady Maud thought of telegraphing to Mr.Van Torp to come to town to see her about an urgent matter; but she decided against that course too.

Whatever her relations were with the American financier this was not the moment to call attention to them.

She would write to him, and in order to see him conveniently she would suggest to her father to have a week-end house party in the country, and to ask his neighbour over from Oxley Paddox.

Nobody but Mr.Van Torp and the post-office called the place Torp Towers.
She had taken a hansom to the Embassy, but she walked back to Charles Street because she was angry, and she considered nothing so good for a rage as a stiff walk.

By the time she reached her own door she was as cool as ever, and her clear eyes looked upon the wicked world with their accustomed calm.
As she laid her hand on the door-bell, a smart brougham drove up quickly and stopped close to the pavement, and as she turned her head Margaret was letting herself out, before the footman could get round from the other side to open the door of the carriage.
'May I come in ?' asked the singer anxiously, and Lady Maud saw that she seemed much disturbed, and had a newspaper in her hand.