"But if I tell you now, I cannot apply first to him," remonstrated Emma, "and so that will not do."
"Oh, but you need not tell him that you told me," said Jane; "and as I am his wife, I should be sure to know it eventually."
"Can I not go to him at once?" said Emma, rising; "it would be much better, and as it must be done, the sooner I get over it the better."
"Is it anything you are afraid of telling him then?" enquired Mrs. Watson, still more eagerly, as she followed Emma from the room. "Is it about yourself? or Miss Osborne? oh, I know—it is for Mr. Watson to draw the marriage settlements—they say she is going to be married to Sir William Gordon, is that true? or is it an offer from Lord Osborne, I wonder? how obstinate the child is; and how fast she runs, I must make haste, or I shall lose some of it."
CHAPTER VIII.
Mrs. Watson overtook Emma at the door of the private room, where so many important matters were settled by her husband, in time to hear an impatient "Come in," and to enter in her company. Robert was pacing up and down the room, and looked excessively surprised to see the intruders.
"What in the name of all that's troublesome brings you here to-day?" was his courteous salutation to his wife and sister.
"I wished to show you this letter, brother," said Emma, very humbly, with Miss Osborne's letter in her hand; "and as it seemed to me, no time should be lost in acting on it, I have ventured to intrude—"
Robert did not allow her to finish her sentence, but took the paper from her hand, and read it deliberately and attentively through. Anything in the shape of business received his strictest attention, or he would never have occupied the position which he now held. When he came to the conclusion, he looked up, and observed,
"I don't see that Jane has anything to do with this, and shall therefore beg she will leave the room—directly," added he, seeing that his wife hesitated.