“Quite true, sir. The doctor wouldn’t have it, but when Sir Charles gives an order, it’s not for me to argue, sir. He told me to come straight to you, and not to mention it to Miss Judith. If you’ll just come upstairs, sir?”
“Of course,” rejoined Macdonald. “How did he know I was in the house?”
Stubbs led the way upstairs. “I don’t know, sir, but there’s not much goes on here that Sir Charles doesn’t know. It often surprises us. He’s still got marvellous keen hearing; lying there so still I believe he listens to everything, and the windows are all open. He hears a sight more than I do.”
When Macdonald went up to the bed in the beautiful airy room where Sir Charles Vanstead lay, the old man said: “Sit down. You can go, Stubbs. If I want you I’ll ring, and tell Nurse Dormer I don’t want h
