And then, moved partly by a desire to explain himself to Cuthbert, and partly by a sudden strange impulse to tell Florella what he was doing, he despatched the other to Moorhead. Spite of this impulse, he thought little of his dread of Waynflete, as he pursued his journey by train, and waited at the junction for that which was to take him to Kirk Hinton. He was very full of what he had to say to his aunt, and much moved at the tone of her summons.
As the train stopped at Kirk Hinton, the station-master hurried up.
“Mr Waynflete! Have you had a telegram from Waynflete Hall?”
“No; what’s the matter?”
“We despatched one, sir, an hour ago, to say that Mrs Waynflete had had an accident this morning. Here’s a copy, sir.”
“A telegram? What was it?”
“Aunt Waynflete has had a bad fall. Come. From Mrs Palmer to Guy Waynflete.”
Guy stood still for a moment, and caught his breath.
“They expect me,” he said. “Is the trap here?”
“No, sir; nothing’s here. We sent on your telegram this morning. The lad that brought this one said he gave it to Mr Godfrey.”