She could bear anything rather than to be cross-examined by Celia, who had always distrusted John Treverton, and who might be secretly elated at his having proved himself an impostor.
‘I must go away at once,’ she decided; ‘this very night. I must go for my honeymoon alone.’
She rang, and Mary came quickly, flushed with tea, buttered toast, and the hilarity below stairs.
‘What time is the carriage to come for us, Mary?’ asked Mrs. Treverton.
‘At a quarter to eight, ma’am. The mail goes at twenty minutes before nine.’
‘And it is just half-past six. Mary, do you think you could get ready to go with me in an hour and a quarter?’
It had been arranged that Laura was to travel without a maid, much to the disappointment of Mary, who had an ardent desire to see foreign lands.
‘Lor’, ma’am, I haven’t a thing packed; but I should dearly like to go. Do you really mean it?’
‘I do mean it, and I shall be very much pleased with you if you’ll contrive to pack your trunk in time to go with me.’
‘I’ll do it, ma’am,’ cried Mary, clasping her hands in ecstasy, and then she tore downstairs like a mad thing to announce to the assembly in the housekeeper’s room that she was going to France with her mistress.