“I am a fool,” said I; “I saw you dead among the leaves.”
He took my hands and kissed them, murmuring:
“Emilia—dear Emilia!” And then I made my way up the creaking stairs, and roused poor Jane, who lay asleep with her head under the bed-clothes. I told her there had been some trouble she should know of to-morrow, and, being half asleep, she did not question me, but made room for me in her bed.
I must have fallen asleep towards rising-time, for I did not hear her get up; but when she was nearly dressed I awoke and got up also, begging her to excuse my explanations yet a little, as I was very tired.
Gabriel got down at the same time as I did. Richard Norton was always a lie-abed, so poor Jane was alone to puzzle out the secret of our haggard faces. It was not early; it must have been nearly ten o’clock when Aunt Caroline arrived. The poor thing burst into tears when she saw me.
“Thank Mercy!” she cried; “oh, what a fright we’ve had! Why must you go out so early in the morning, before the house is up, and no message, too.”
I made some little joke to laugh it off; Gabriel laughed also; we offered her some breakfast, and it was then that she said:
“I must go back at once; I promised Mrs. Rayner to bring back Constance immediately.”
Gabriel and I were standing side by side; we looked at each other, and he must have read the same sudden fear in my eye that I read in his.
“Come,” said I.