Very tired and stiff, and very anxious she felt, but she was obliged
to go down as soon as she was dressed, since she always took charge
of her mother before breakfast on Sunday while Sibby went to mass. It
was so late that she could only listen in vain at the top of the
stairs before she went into the room, where she found Sibby very
indignant at having missed all the excitement of the night past. 'As
if she could not have been trusted not to have wakened the mistress.
She believed they would have let her alone till they all were burnt
in their beds!'
It was not till breakfast, which took place unusually late, that
Wilmet heard much. Felix and Lance had just come downstairs, rather
ashamed of having overslept themselves, and Mr. Audley came in and
begged for a cup of tea.
He told them that the father and uncle of the boy had arrived. They
were American merchants or speculators of some kind, he thought,
named Travis, and they had gone on business to Dearport the day
before, meaning to dine there, and return by the mail train in the
night, and leaving the boy with the black servant in the unfortunate
hotel.
On arriving, at about three o'clock, not long after Felix had brought
Lance home, they had telegraphed to Dearport for a doctor and nurse,
who were momentarily expected to arrive.
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