‘I have read it; I thought it best,’ said he. ‘And now I want you to go to your own room, and I will send Mrs. Spenceley to you, and ask all these people to go away. You will allow me!’ ‘You are very good,’ said Helena, calmly. ‘You must break just what you think fit to Mrs. Spenceley,’ he added. ‘There is no one but you to do it, and she will hear it best from you. For her sake, you will keep up this brave, calm behaviour till the worst is over.’ ‘Yes; and then?’ ‘Trouble yourself about nothing else to-night. I will see to everything until your brother comes back. I will stay here all night. You need not leave your room again.’ Helena rose without speaking; looked at him with an indescribable expression; her lips moved, as if she would have spoken; but, without a word, she turned and went to her room. Sebastian watched until the door had closed after her, and that silence seemed to leave an enormous want in his heart. There was silence, except a murmur coming from the supper-room. That reminded him of his duty. With another earnest look at that closed door, he went downstairs. He made his way to Mrs. Spenceley, and asked her to go to her daughter in her room. With a deep flush of terror and foreboding, she went. Neither husband nor son was there to support her. A stranger took her to the foot of the stairs and left her. Sebastian’s soul was quite possessed with the idea of these two women; one telling, the other learning, the extent of their awful calamity, so far as it was known. It haunted him, but he gathered himself together, and easily catching the attention of the startled company, he merely told them that Mrs. and Miss Spenceley wished him to express their great regret at having to leave their guests, in consequence of very distressing news which they had just received. Frederick Spenceley had had to leave home immediately, and he thought, as it was already late, the kindest thing they could do would be to leave the house as soon as possible. Amidst a wild buzz of inquiries, suggestions, and speculations, the guests dispersed. In an hour the house was quiet, and Helena had gently told her mother the whole truth as far as she knew it. CHAPTER XVIII. DOWN IN THE WORLD. It was not until late in the afternoon of the following day that Sebastian, not forgetting his appointment with Myles Heywood, found it possible to return to his own home.