"But I must make one condition.

Promise me to keep my plan for communicating with the police a strict secret--" "A strict secret from Grace ?" interposed Lady Janet.

(Julian bowed.) "Do you suppose I want to frighten her?
Do you think I have not had anxiety enough about her already?
Of course I shall keep it a secret from Grace!" Re-assured on this point, Julian hastened out into the grounds.

As soon as his back was turned Lady Janet lifted the gold pencil-case which hung at her watch-chain, and wrote on her nephew's card (for the information of the officer in plain clothes), "_You are wanted at Mablethorpe House_." This done, she put the card into the old-fashioned pocket of her dress, and returned to the dining-room.
Grace was waiting, in obedience to the instructions which she had received.
For the first moment or two not a word was spoken on either side.

Now that she was alone with her adopted daughter, a certain coldness and hardness began to show itself in Lady Janet's manner.