She left the Park again, and found herself in the streets without
knowing where. Once more she hailed the first cab that passed her, and
told the man to drive to Vauxhall Walk.
The change from walking to riding quieted her. She felt her attention
returning to herself and her dress. The necessity of making sure that no
accident had happened to her disguise in the interval since she had left
her own room impressed itself immediately on her mind. She stopped
the driver at the first pastry-cook's shop which he passed, and there
obtained the means of consulting a looking-glass before she ventured
back to Vauxhall Walk.
Her gray head-dress was disordered, and the old-fashioned bonnet was
a little on one side. Nothing else had suffered. She set right the few
defects in her costume, and returned to the cab. It was half-past one
when she approached the house and knocked, for the second time, at Noel
Vanstone's door. The woman-servant opened it as before.
"Has Mrs. Lecount come back?"
"Yes, ma'am. Step this way, if you please."
The servant preceded Magdalen along an empty passage, and, leading her
past an uncarpeted staircase, opened the door of a room at the back of
the house.
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