Lady Gordon too, had risen, and clasping both his hands in hers, she exclaimed:
"Oh, how I rejoice to see you alive—you cannot think how we all grieved when we heard you were dead!"
It was now Howard's turn to look bewildered: he turned from the husband to the wife in uncontrollable amazement, and said:
"May I ask what is the meaning of all this—are you performing a comedy or acting a charade!"
"Why I suppose," said Sir William, recovering himself a little, "we do all seem rather frantic to you, since you must be alike ignorant of our anxieties and the relief your presence has occasioned. The fact is, we heard you were dead!"
"Indeed!" exclaimed Howard.
"Take care, or Mr. Howard will begin to believe it too, and that will frighten him," said Rosa, laughing almost hysterically.
"But do tell me what you thought was the matter with me," said Howard impatiently.
"We heard you had fallen and been killed amongst the rocks," said Sir William, "and we were very unhappy about it. I assure you, you have been wept by bright eyes, and fair cheeks have turned pale at the news of your death. There is not a man in the whole county has been more talked of than you; the news of your melancholy death reached us in the gayest moment of a fête, sent Lady Gordon into fits, and all the company out of the house, broke up the dance, interrupted six tender flirtations and three rubbers at whist, in short, caused more unhappiness, disappointment, and dismay, than an ordinary individual would reasonably expect to excite either living or dying."
"Really it is a very uncommon fate for a man to hear the lamentations occasioned by his death, and if what you say is not exaggerated, Sir William, I ought to be greatly flattered," replied Howard smiling, but at the same time looking round the room to see what was become of the one face, whose expression he was most anxious to read. But Emma was gone; she had left the room without a word of congratulatory greeting, or a single expression of interest.