The gate, swinging slowly and noiselessly forward, touched the horse, which had been standing sideways, his head turned to see what the stoppage might be about.
Touched him, and startled him. Bounding upwards, he tore forward down the narrow lane on which the gate opened; tried to scale a bank, and pitched the lawyer and Charlotte out of the gig.
The farmer, and as many of his people as could be gathered at the moment, came running down, some of them armed with pitchforks. Nave was groaning as he lay; Charlotte was insensible. Just at first they thought her dead. Both were carried back to the Rill on hurdles, and the doctor was sent for. After which, Mr. Smith started off a man on horseback to tell the ill-news of the accident at Caromel Farm.
Ill-news. No doubt a bad and distressing accident. But now, see how curiously the “power that shapes our ends” brings things about. But for that accident, the mystery and the wrong being played out at Caromel’s Farm might never have had daylight thrown upon it. The accident, like a great many other accidents, must have been sent to this wise and good end. At least, so far as we, poor blind mortals that we all are, down here, might presume to judge.
The horseman, clattering in at a hard pace to Caromel’s Farm, delivered to Miss Gwendolen Nave, and to Grizzel, the old family servant, the tidings he was charged with—improving upon them as a thing of course.
Lawyer Nave, he were groaning awful, all a-bleeding, and unable to move a limb. The young lady, she were dead; leastways, looked like it.
With a scream and a cry, Gwendolen gave orders for her own departure. Seeking the bailiff, she bade him drive her over in the tax-cart, there being no second gig.
“Now mind, Grizzel,” she said, laying hold of the old woman’s arm after flinging on her bonnet and shawl anyhow, “you will lock all the doors as soon as I am gone, and take out the keys. Do you hear?”
“I hear, Miss Gwinny. My will’s good to do it: you know that.”
“Take care that you do do it.”