THE SIX OF SPADES. 135 



were these : you will see that they require no com- 

 mentary. 



The party at the castle was to assemble in the 

 library at 11 a.m.; to leave the castle at 11.15, and 

 to meet the viscount at the church. 



At 9 a.m., Lady Alice's favourite cousin, and chief 

 bridesmaid, went to see her, and was met at her 

 dressing-room door by Phyllis, who told the young 

 lady that her mistress had passed a restless night 

 and had just fallen asleep. 



At] 10 a.m., on a second visit, the cousin was in- 

 formed by the maid that Lady Alice would rather 

 not see any one until she came down for the marriage. 



At 11 a.m., the guests, with the family, met in the 

 library. 



At 11.15, a dozen carriages, three of them having 

 four horses, and two with outriders, drew up in front 

 of the castle. 



At 11.25, the duke sent a servant to inform the 

 Lady Alice that he hoped she would come down at 

 once. 



At 11.35, the servant returned to inform the duke 

 that " her ladyship was not to be found ! " 



Then the duke calmly requested that her ladyship's 

 maid should be sent to him in his morning-room. 



And, after a long interval, the report was brought 

 to him, that " her ladyship's maid was not to be 

 found ! " 



Then some one discovered, on Lady Alice's writing- 

 table, a note to her father, the duke. It was, so 

 Phyllis informed us, to this effect : that she had 

 pleaded in vain that she did not love the viscount 



