At the same moment a vivid flash of lightning darted past her eyes, and a peal of thunder, which made the windows rattle, followed it immediately—a sign that the storm was near.
The horses had stopped, and on peering through the front window she saw that the driver was no longer on the box.
She opened the door, and, alighting, found that a tree had fallen across the road. Upon this tree were seated two figures.
“Goodness me, how unfortunate!” exclaimed Laura. What must be done?”
The driver scratched his head, and seemed sorely puzzled.
“I don’t know how we are to get to the hall now, ma’am,” said he.
“But we must get there by some means or another,” cried Laura, in a petulant tone. “How very unfortunate we’ve been to be sure! Everything seems to go wrong. What do you propose, driver? Just think—there’s a good fellow.”
“I am thinking, but can’t tell what to do for all that.”
One of the figures rose and approached them. It was a woman, in the uncouth dress of a female peasant.
“If the leddy wants to see the Earl, a maun see ’im to-night—he’s off to Lunnon early the morrow.”