"Are you worse, Selina?"
No reply came, and I feared she was worse. Perhaps lying with leeches to her throat. I had seen leeches to a throat once, and had never forgotten the sight. At that moment the appearance of the room struck me as strange. It seemed to have been put to rights. I pulled open the curtain in full dread of the leeches.
Alas! it was not leeches I saw; but a still, white face. The face of my Aunt Selina, it is true, but—dead. I shrieked out, in my shock of terror, and flew into the arms of Sarah, who came running in.
"What is the matter?" exclaimed Charlotte Delves, flying up to the landing where we stood.
"Why, Miss Hereford has been in there; and I told her not to go!" said Sarah, hushing my face to her as she spoke. "Why couldn't you listen to me, Miss?"
"I didn't know Miss Hereford was up; she should have waited for Jemima," said Charlotte Delves, as she laid hold of me, and led me down to her parlour.
"Oh, Miss Delves, Miss Delves, what is it?" I sobbed. "Is she really dead?"
"She is dead, all too certain, my dear. But I am very sorry you should have gone in. It is just like Jemima's carelessness."
"What's that?—that's like my carelessness, Miss Delves?" resentfully inquired Jemima, who had come forward on hearing the noise.
"Why, your suffering this child to dress herself alone, and go about the house at large. One would think you might have been attentive this morning, of all others."