In a few minutes they were so much disturbed that no one quite knew what should be done at once.  Lady Rowley began by declaring that she would go herself.  Sir Marmaduke of course pointed out that this was impossible, and suggested that he would send a lawyer.  Nora professed herself ready to start immediately on the journey, but was stopped by a proposition from her sister Lucy that in that case Hugh Stanbury would of course go with her.  Lady Rowley asked whether Hugh would go, and Nora asserted that he would go immediately as a matter of course.  She was sure he would go, let the people at the D. R. say what they might.  According to her there was always somebody at the call of the editor of the D. R. to do the work of anybody else, when anybody else wanted to go away.  Sir Marmaduke shook his head, and was very uneasy.  He still thought that a lawyer would be best, feeling, no doubt, that if Stanbury’s services were used on such an occasion, there must be an end of all opposition to the marriage.  But before half-an-hour was over Stanbury was sent for.  The boots of the hotel went off in a cab to the office of the D. R. with a note from Lady Rowley.  ’Dear Mr Stanbury, We have had a telegram from Emily, and want to see you, at once.  Please come.  We shall sit up and wait for you till you do come, E. R.’

It was very distressing to them because, let the result be what it might, it was all but impossible that Mrs Trevelyan should be with them before they had sailed, and it was quite out of the question that they should now postpone their journey.  Were Stanbury to start by the morning train on the following day, he could not reach Siena till the afternoon of the fourth day; and let the result be what it might when he arrived there, it would be out of the question that Emily Trevelyan should come back quite at once, or that she should travel at the same speed.  Of course they might hear again by telegram, and also by letter; but they could not see her, or have any hand in her plans.  ’If anything were to happen, she might have come with us,’ said Lady Rowley.

‘It is out of the question,’ said Sir Marmaduke gloomily.  ’I could not give up the places I have taken.’

‘A few days more would have done it.’

‘I don’t suppose she would wish to go,’ said Nora.  ’Of course she would not take Louey there.  Why should she?  And then I don’t suppose he is so ill as that.’

‘There is no saying,’ said Sir Marmaduke.  It was very evident that, whatever might be Sir Marmaduke’s opinion, he had no strongly developed wish for his son-in-law’s recovery.