"Then, your grace, she seized me by the two shoulders and looked me straight in the face, and said—'Tell your mistress, if she would save herself from utter ruin, she will see me and hear what I have to tell her, before she sees the Duke of Hereward again!'" answered the girl, in a low tone.
"'Before I see the Duke of Hereward again.' Ah, what is it? What is it?" murmured the bewildered bride to herself. Then she spoke to Margaret. "Bring the woman up here. I will see her at once."
Once more the girl obediently left the room.
The young bride covered her pale face with her hands, and trembled with dread of—she knew not what!
A few minutes passed. The door opened again, and Margaret re-appeared, ushering in Rose Cameron's housekeeper.
Salome looked up.
CHAPTER XV.
THE CLOUD FALLS.
When Rose Cameron's emissary entered the bride's chamber, the young duchess arose from her chair, but almost instantly sank back again, overpowered by an access of that mysterious foreshadowing of approaching calamity which had darkened her spirit during the whole of this, her bridal day.