He still stared into
her pale face. Then he took the paper and began to read it.
* * * * *
Presently he laid it down again. The sick terror was beginning to pass;
or, rather, he was able to grip it; and he said a conventional word or
two; he could do no more. There was no exultation in his heart; nothing
but misery. And then, in despair, he left the subject.
"And you, mistress," he said, "what will you do now? Have you no aunt or
friend--"
"Mistress Alice Babington once said she would come and live with me--if
... when I needed it. I shall write to her. I do not know what else to
do."
"And you will live here?"
"Why; more than ever!" she said, smiling suddenly. "I can work in
earnest now."
CHAPTER VI
I
It was on a bright evening in the summer that Marjorie, with her maid
Janet, came riding down to Padley, and about the same time a young man
came walking up the track that led from Derby. In fact, the young man
saw the two against the skyline and wondered who they were. Further,
there was a group of four or five walking on the terrace below the
house, that saw both the approaching parties, and commented upon their
coming.
To be precise, there were four persons in the group on the terrace, and
a man-servant who hung near. The four were Mr. John FitzHerbert, his son
Thomas, his son's wife, and, in the midst, leaning on Mrs. FitzHerbert's
arm, was old Sir Thomas himself, and it was for his sake that the
servant was within call, for he was still very sickly after his long
imprisonment, in spite of his occasional releases.
Pages:
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215