She burst into tears, went back to her bed, cried herself to sleep, and did not wake till a late hour the following day.
Of course she was looking wretchedly pale and miserable when she descended the next day. So conscious was she of this that she longed to remain in her own room, but feared that it might have even a more suspicious appearance than her pale cheeks. She was relieved on entering the sitting room to find only Sir William, Lord Osborne having breakfasted and gone out. He was looking sad and grave, but replied to her anxious enquiries, that his wife was better, but not well enough to leave her room yet. He regarded her with a compassionate expression, and said,
"You too are suffering from the events of yesterday—no wonder; such a blow coming after so much excitement and fatigue."
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.