Celia thought Joy's manner to her was strangely cool and undemonstrative; but reflected that her sister probably still resented the past, so when she found herself seated opposite to her in the carriage on their way home, she did her utmost with appealing looks, and assurances of the delight she experienced at being with her once more, to overcome her constraint and reserve. Celia was actually hungering for her sister's love, and desired greatly to be on the old friendly footing with her again; but Joy listened to the other's chatter in comparative silence, and would not be drawn into conversation.
At last, Mrs. Wallis noticed that something was amiss with her younger daughter, and was on the point of inquiring what was wrong, when the sound of a shrill whistle fell upon their ears, and a traction engine appeared around the turn of the road. Sir Jasper's spirited horses snorted, flung up their heads, and plunged wildly ere they broke into a gallop. There was a crash as the carriage came into contact with the traction engine, followed by screams and shouts, and the next moment the occupants of the carriage were flung into the roadway, whilst the horses tore on with the wrecked vehicle at their heels.
[CHAPTER XXII.]
HOURS OF SUSPENSE.
"OH, sir! Oh, sir! There's been a terrible accident!"
Sir Jasper, who was seated before his writing-table in the library, dropped his pen and looked up at the speaker—Mrs. Mallock—in sudden alarm, for she had burst into the room like a whirlwind, without even knocking at the door, and now stood wringing her hands, her face white as death.
"What has happened?" asked Sir Jasper, curbing his first impulse, which had been to reprimand her sharply for so far forgetting herself as to break in upon him without asking leave. "Is anyone hurt?"
"Oh, yes! Oh, yes! Miss Joy! Oh, dear! Oh, dear! Miss Celia's all right, and Mrs. Wallis is only shaken and bruised, but poor Miss Joy's fearfully injured; and they've taken her to the Vicarage!"
"Who are they?" questioned Sir Jasper. "Pray try to explain, Mrs. Mallock. Compose yourself, my good woman, and tell me exactly what has happened."
"It was one of those nasty traction engines, Sir Jasper. And the horses took fright, and ran away. They dashed the carriage against the engine, and Mrs. Wallis and the children were flung out. Oh, dear! Oh, dear! But the horses were not hurt, Sir Jasper. Gay was pitched out, too; but a couple of farm labourers stopped and caught the horses before they had run away very far. Gay was not hurt either."