“Yes, yes, at once!” She rose and walked to the door, guiding herself by the wall.
“Nay, Miss Rothesay, what are you doing? You forget we cannot go without your mother.”
“My mother! O, Heaven! it will kill my mother!”
And the thought brought tears, the first that had burst from her. It was well.
She recovered to consciousness and strength. In this great crisis there came to her the wisdom and forethought that lay dormant in her nature. She became a woman—one of those of whom the world contains few—at once gentle and strong, meek and fearless, patient to endure, heroic to act.
She sat down for a moment and considered. “Fourteen miles it is to B——. If we start in an hour we shall reach there by sunset.” Then she summoned the maid, and said, speaking steadily, that she might by no sign betray what might in turn be betrayed to her mother—
“You must go and meet mamma as she comes from church; or, if not, go into the church to her. Tell her there is a message come from papa, and ask her to hasten home. Make haste yourself. I will keep house the while.”
The woman left the room, murmuring a little, but never thinking to disobey her young mistress, so sudden, so constraining, was the dignity which had come upon the girl. Even Mr. Wyld felt it, and his manner changed from condolence to respect.
“What can I do, Miss Rothesay? You turn from me. No wonder, when I have had the misfortune to be the bearer of such evil tidings.”
“Hush!” she said. Mechanically she set wine before him. He drank talking between the draughts, of his deep sorrow, and earnest hope that no serious evil would befall his good friend, Captain Rothesay.