There was no note enclosed, and this omission threw Usk into a terrible state of alarm. Félicia was ill, perhaps dying, and he was to blame. He would hear of nothing but rushing off to Nice at once, and he was throwing his things into a bag when his uncle came down the corridor and saw his preparations through the open door of his room. “I think this is a little unnecessary,” he observed gently. “Why, she may be gone before I get there!” cried Usk. “Scarcely. It may interest you to know that her boxes and Miss Logan’s are all packed and locked. It’s no good shutting your eyes to it, Usk. The visit to the doctor was a polite fiction to enable the girls to leave the Castle without interference. We will put it more kindly, and say they were bent on going, and wished to save us the trouble of dissuading them. The question now is, what are you going to do?” “I don’t know why I should do anything but go to her,” said Usk doggedly. “Are you certain you are wanted?” Usk turned on his uncle. “If you know anything, say it, and don’t keep hinting things,” he cried. “Why shouldn’t she want me?” “You think you would not be _de trop_ when Michael was present?” Usk’s eyes flamed, and he made a step forward, but his hands dropped suddenly to his side. “I’ll see her,” he said hoarsely, “and tell her she must choose once for all between that fellow and me. I won’t be kept hanging on, to be made useful if she doesn’t succeed in landing him. But I don’t believe it’s that at all. She’s anxious and worried about this wretched claim of hers, as she told me herself, and it’s just a chance that he happens to be at Nice.” “Very well. As you say, it’s as well to see her before you judge. Your aunt and I think of going to Nice to look after Michael a little, and you may as well travel with us, and not rush off in this dramatic way. You won’t want to make your differences of opinion public, I suppose, in any case?” CHAPTER X. A DAMSEL IN DISTRESS.