On the Thursday morning, Mr. Grubb again came up, as just stated, to confer with Lord Acorn. On his way he called at his own home in Grosvenor Square, intending to acquaint his wife with his decision--that they must separate--but not to enter into details with her. Hilson looked very glad to see his master, and feelingly inquired after Mrs. Lynn. Better, answered Mr. Grubb; she might recover now. "Ask Lady Adela if she will be good enough to come to me here," he added to the butler, as he turned into his library. "Her ladyship is not at home, sir," promptly replied Hilson. "Not at home!" and Mr. Grubb could not altogether keep his surprise out of his tone. "She has gone out early." "My lady left home yesterday morning, sir, before breakfast. Darvy, I believe, carried a cup of tea to her room." "But she returned, I suppose?" "No, sir, not since." "Where is her ladyship gone? Do you know?" "Not at all, sir. Darvy was mysterious over it. She heard her lady say this was no longer any home for her; she told me that much. John was sent to fetch a cab, and her ladyship and Darvy went away in it, with a carpet bag." "She must be at Lord Acorn's," remarked Mr. Grubb; a conclusion he had rapidly come to. Hilson agreed with it. "No doubt, sir. My lady may have felt lonely here without you." Mr. Grubb went straight to Chenevix House. Not to see Adela, but to enter on his business with Lord Acorn. And then, as you find, he learnt that she was not there. "Stay a moment," said Lord Acorn, a recollection occurring to him. "Adela was at Colonel Hope's yesterday: I remember Frances said so. She must be staying there. That's it." "Probably so," was Mr. Grubb's cold assent. "She has, I say, taken the initiative in the matter." He sat down as he spoke, motioning Lord Acorn to the seat on the other side of the small table between them, and took a paper from his pocketbook on which he had pencilled a few notes, as to the terms of separation. Terms that were wonderfully liberal in their pecuniary aspect. Lord Acorn heard the amount of the sum he proposed to allow his wife annually with a thrill of generous admiration. Oh, what a fool Adela has been! thought he. Why could she not have made herself a loving helpmeet to this noble-minded man, whose every instinct is good and great? "Are you satisfied with the amount, Lord Acorn?" "Quite." "It will be paid to you; not to herself," continued Mr. Grubb. "As a matter of course, her home must be with you and her mother. The allowance that you may deem suitable for herself personally you will be good enough to pay to her out of it, as you and she may arrange. I do not interfere with details. She had better have her own separate carriage and horses."