"Whether animals have reason or not, my dear, you had some reason for interrupting me. Now what was it?"
"To ask you to read this, sir," said Miss Cavendish, putting her letter in the hands of her uncle.
He took it and read it slowly through, muttering from time to time:
"Dear, dear, how distressing! Bless my soul alive! Well, well, well!"
And he glanced uneasily at Mary Grey, who fidgeted and flushed under his observation.
At length he finished and folded the letter and returned it to Miss Cavendish, with the inquiry:
"Well, my dear, what are you going to do in the premises?"
"I shall write immediately and ask my aunt to come here and make this her home," answered Emma, promptly.
At these words Mary Grey started, caught her breath with a gasp, and quickly whirled her chair around so as to bring her back to the light and throw her face in deep shadow.
"What's the matter with you?" inquired Electra.