But Mrs. Tarnley at length did go on, and up the stairs, and heard Alice’s voice call along the passage, in a loud tone—
“Mrs. Tarnley! is that you, Mrs. Tarnley?”
“Me, ma’am? Yes ’m. I thought I heard your bell ring, and I had scant time to hustle my clothes on. Is there anything uncommon a-happenin’, ma’am, or what’s expected just now from an old woman like me?”
“Oh, Mrs. Tarnley, I beg your pardon, I’m so sorry, and I would not disturb you, only that I heard a noise, and I thought Mr. Charles might have arrived.”
“No, ma’am, he’s not come, nor no sign o’ him. You told me, ma’am, his letter said there was but small chance o’t.”
“So I did, Mildred—so it did. Still a chance—just a chance—and I thought, perhaps——”
“There’s no perhaps in it, ma’am; he baint come.”
“Dulcibella tells me she thought some time ago she heard some one arrive.”
“So she did, mayhap, for there did come a message for Master Harry from the farmer beyond Gryce’s mill; but he went his way again.”
Mildred was fibbing with a fluency that almost surprised herself.