Mrs. Everett watched him until he was out of sight. Then she turned slowly, and went back to the Court. She entered the grounds a little before the breakfast hour. Ann, now Mrs. Henessey, was out in the avenue gathering daffodils, which grew in clumps all along a great border. She raised her head when she saw Mrs. Everett approaching.
"You out?" she cried. "I thought I was the only early bird. Where have you been?"
"For a walk," replied the widow. "The morning is a lovely one, and I was not sleepy." She did not wait to say anything more to Ann, but went into the house.
The breakfast-room at the Court had French windows. The day was so balmy that, early as it was still in the year, these windows stood open. As Mrs. Everett stepped across the threshold, she was greeted by Margaret.
"How pale and tired you look!" said Mrs. Awdrey, in a compassionate voice.
Mrs. Everett glanced round her, she saw that there was no one else present.
"I am sick at heart, Margaret," she said, fixing her sad eyes on her friend's face.
Margaret went up to her, put her slender hand on her shoulder, and kissed her.
"Why won't you rest?" she said; "you never rest; even at night you scarcely sleep; you will kill yourself if you go on as you have been doing of late, and then——"
"Why do you stop, Margaret?" said Mrs. Everett.