Page:Orley Farm (Serial Volume 7).pdf/30

 turned aside into a small breakfast parlour, which was used every morning, but which was rarely visited afterwards during the day. Here she sat, leaving the door slightly open, so that she might know when Mr. Furnival left the baronet. Here she sat for a full hour, waiting—waiting—waiting. There was no sofa or lounging-chair in the room, reclining in which she could remain there half sleeping, sitting comfortably at her ease; but she placed herself near the table, and leaning there with her face upon her hand, she waited patiently till Mr. Furnival had gone. That her mind was full of thoughts I need hardly say, but yet the hour seemed very long to her. At last she heard the library door open, she heard Sir Peregrine's voice as he stood in the hall and shook hands with his departing visitor, she heard the sound of the wheels as the fly moved upon the gravel, and then she heard Sir Peregrine again shut the library door behind him.

She did not immediately get up from her chair; she still waited awhile, perhaps for another period of ten minutes, and then she noiselessly left the room, and moving quickly and silently across the hall she knocked at Sir Peregrine's door. This she did so gently that at first no answer was made to her. Then she knocked again, hardly louder but with a repeated rap, and Sir Peregrine summoned her to come in. 'May I trouble you once more—for one moment?' she said.

'Certainly, certainly; it is no trouble. I am glad that you are here in the house at this time, that you may see me at any moment that you may wish.'

'I do not know why you should be so good to me.'

'Because you are in great grief, in undeserved grief, because. Lady Mason, my services are at your command. I will act for you as I would for a—daughter.'

'You hear now of what it is that they accuse me.'

'Yes,' he said; 'I do hear:' and as he spoke he came round so that he was standing near to her, but with his back to the fireplace. 'I do hear, and I blush to think that there is a man in England, holding the position of a county magistrate, who can so forget all that is due to honesty, to humanity, and to self-respect.'

'You do not then think that 1 have been guilty of this thing?'

'Guilty—I think you guilty! No, nor does he think so. It is impossible that he should think so. I am no more sure of my own innocence than of yours;' and as he spoke he took both her hands and looked into her face, and his eyes also were full of tears. 'You may be sure of this, that neither I nor Edith will ever think you guilty.'

'Dearest Edith,' she said; she had never before called Sir Peregrine's daughter-in-law by her Christian name, and as she now did so she almost felt that she had sinned. But Sir Peregrine took