Her lip quivered, and she could not answer.
"Miss Watson," added he, "the gipsy must have known of this before we met her. She must have alluded to this shocking event."
Emma made an effort, and succeeded in articulating,
"Certainly."
Then after a pause, she ventured to enquire,
"How did the report reach you?"
It had been brought, it appeared, by one of the guests, whose cousin or brother, or some such friend, had just arrived from Wales, and learnt it before leaving Denbighshire. It had been accidentally mentioned by this gentleman in Lady Gordon's hearing; and she being at the time in a nervous, irritable state from fatigue, excitement, and the heat of the ball-room, had been seized with a violent fit of hysteria at the information, which had broken up the dancing and compelled her to quit the company.
"And my abruptness I fear overpowered you, Miss Watson," added Sir William, "I had no idea that you were there when I met Osborne, and spoke with the conviction that I was distressing no nerves weaker than his."
"But even Lord Osborne must feel such a shock," said Emma.
"Oh yes he feels it very much, but it is not his way to be overpowered by his feeling. None who had known Howard could help feeling it—so sudden an event—and quitting us quite well only a few days before—what his poor sister must have felt!"