'
But at about a quarter to six, a little tap came to Mr. Audley's
door, and Angela stood there, saying, with a most serious face,
'Please, Mr. Audley, Cherry wants to know whether you don't think
something must have happened.' And going upstairs, he found the poor
young deputy in a nervous agony of despair at the non-return of any
of the party, quite certain that some catastrophe had befallen them,
and divided between self-reproach and dread of the consequences.
'The very first day Wilmet had gone!' as she said.
It was almost time for Harewood's train, which made it all the more
strange. Mr. Audley tried to reassure her by the probability that the
whole party were convoying him to the station, and would appear when
he was gone; but time confuted this pleasing hypothesis, and Cherry's
misery was renewed. She even almost hinted a wish that Mr. Audley
would go out and look for them.
'And then,' he said, smiling, 'in an hour's time you would be sending
Felix to look for me. No, no, Cherry, these waiting times are often
hard, no doubt; but, as I fear you are one of those destined to
"abide by the tents" instead of going out to battle, you had better
learn to do your watching composedly.
Pages:
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363