The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 44: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

CHAPTER III THE EXPLOSION Atv a still earlier hour than that on which the carrier’s van was thus stopped, a note was delivered on that same morn- ing at Oaklands, addressed to Christian Ashton, and the messenger who‘bore it — a labouring man — immediately departed without waiting to see if there were any response; in doing which he only followed out the instructions he had received, and for the faithful performance of which he had been liberally remunerated. The note was from Mr. Red- cliffe, desiring Christian to come to him with the least possible delay. | It was a little after ten o’clock in the forenoon of the same day that the Honourable Wilson Stanhope suddenly ordered his valet to pack up his boxes and follow with them as speed- ily as he could by the first conveyance which could be ob- tained, and having issued these commands, Mr. Stanhope quitted the mansion on foot. He appeared to be much agitated, and the valet knew that the orders were given im- mediately after his master had been closeted for a few minutes with the Duke of Marchmont. The domestics, too, who were lounging in the hall, were struck by Mr. Stanhope’s appearance as he rapidly passed out of the mansion, and as he flung a bank-note to the lackey who was nearest, bidding him divide the amount amongst the servants generally. Thus, in a very few minutes, it became known through the house that there was something wrong, though the only one of the domestics who had an insight into the matter was Amy Sutton. She of course comprehended that the crisis had come and that the storm was now on the point of bursting above the head of her mistress. Of Lavinia’s guilt she en- tertained not the slightest doubt; how could she after all - 27 COnNIEOOOkKS (S(O)