"And you must lend me the money, Arnold." "I will not refuse you," was his answer: "and I cannot dictate to you; but I think it would be better for you to remain here, and let Lord Level know that you are coming." Lady Level shook her head. "Good advice, Arnold, no doubt, and I thank you; all the same, I shall go down as I have said." "You will be very much to blame, sir, if you help on this mad scheme by so much as a sixpence," spoke the Major. "Papa, listen to a word of common sense," she interposed. "I could go to a dozen places tomorrow, and get any amount of money. I could go to Lord Level's agents, and say I am Lady Level, and they would supply me. I could go to Mr. Brightman, and he would supply me--Charles Strange is in Paris again. I could go to other places. But I prefer to have it from Mr. Ravensworth, and save myself trouble and annoyance. It is not a pleasant thing for a peeress of the realm--as you just now put it--to go about borrowing a five-pound note," she concluded with a faint smile. "Very well, Blanche. If ill comes of this wild step of yours, remember you were warned against it. I can say no more." Gathering up his cloak as he spoke, Major Carlen threw it over his shoulders, and went forth, muttering, into the night. Mr. Ravensworth called his wife, and she took Lady Level upstairs to a hastily-prepared chamber. Sitting down in a low chair, and throwing off her bonnet, Lady Level, worn out with all the excitement she had gone through, burst into a flood of hysterical tears. "Tell me all about it," said Mary Ravensworth soothingly, drawing the poor wearied head to rest on her shoulder. "They meant to stop me from going down to my husband, and I _will_ go," sobbed Blanche half defiantly. "If he has met with an accident, and is ill, I ought to be there." "Of course you ought," said Mary warmly. "But what is all the trouble about?--And what was it that you heard, and did not like, in Holles Street?" "Oh, never mind that," said Blanche, colouring furiously. "That is what I am going to ask my husband to explain." Upon Lady Level's arrival in London that morning, she sent her servants and luggage to an hotel, and drove straight to Portland Place herself: where Mr. and Mrs. Ravensworth's servants supplied her with breakfast. Afterwards, she went to Holles Street, arriving there about ten o'clock; walked into the passage, for the house door was open, was met by a young person in green, and inquired for Lord Level. "Lord Level's not here now, ma'am," was the answer, as she showed Blanche into a parlour. "He has been gone about a week." "Gone about a week!" repeated Blanche, completely taken back; for she had pictured him as lying at the place disabled. "About that time, ma'am. He and the lady left together." Blanche stared, and collected her scattered senses. "What lady?" she asked.