'How do you know? Who told you?' she asked, nervously.
'No one, dear. I only think it. The way you came in—'
Thyrza suddenly bent forward, listening.
'Can any one hear us?' she whispered. 'Go and see any one's outside.'
'There's no one, dear.'
'Go and look. I'm afraid.'
Lydia went and opened the door. She closed it again, and came back shaking her head.
'I didn't think I should see him,' Thyrza continued. 'I was waiting in Totty's room, and he came to see Mr. Bunce. I heard his voice. When he went away, I followed him. I couldn't help myself. I would have given my life for a word from him. I wanted to know why he hadn't come this morning. I followed him, and walked with him over the bridge. Then he told me he was going away, somewhere out of England, and I shouldn't see him again till after—after I was married.'
She choked. Lydia soothed her again, and she continued, with growing agitation:
'Then he said good-bye—he went away very quickly, after just saying he hoped I should be happy. Happy! How can I be happy? And when he was gone, I went somewhere and fell down and cried—somewhere where nobody could see me. He's gone, Lyddy! How am I to live without him?'