He laughed at her; he was willing to make light of it if it might ease her fears. "My dear, I will come home at once and report to you: I will borrow Jack's seven-leagued boots, that I may come to you the quicker."
"You know that I shall be anxious," she repeated, feeling vexed.
"Jane," he said, his tone changing: "I see that you are more anxious already than is good for you. It is not well that you should be so."
"I wish I could be with you! I wish I could hear, as you will, Dr. Arnold's opinion from his own lips!" was all she answered.
"I will faithfully repeat it to you," said Mr. Halliburton.
"Faithfully—word for word? On your honour?"
"Yes, Jane, I will. You have my promise. Good news I shall be only too glad to tell you; and, should it be the worst, it will be necessary that you should know it."
"You must be there before ten o'clock," she observed; "otherwise there will be little chance of seeing him."
"I shall be there by nine, Jane. To spare time later would interfere too much with my day's work."
A thought crossed Jane's mind—if the fiat were unfavourable what would become of his day's work then—all his days? But she did not utter it.