"She will stay where she is," said Mr. Richmond, "for the present. Good morning."
He never told Matilda of this encounter. And before another week had gone, Mrs. Candy and Clarissa had again left Shadywalk.
So week after week went by peacefully. The beautiful days of October were all past; November winds came, and the trees were bare, and the frosts at night began to be severe. The sick people were getting better, and terrible qualms of fear and sorrow now and then swept over Matilda's heart. Her aunt would surely want her back now, and she should never finish her visit at Mrs. Laval's!
One day she was in Mr. Richmond's study, all alone, thinking so. There was a flurry of snow in the air, the first snow of the season, falling thickly on the grass, and eddying in windy circles through the pine trees. Matilda had knelt in a chair at the window to watch it, with that spasm of fear at her heart. Now it is winter! she thought. Aunt Candy must be home soon. Yet the whirling great flakes of snow were so lovely, that in a few minutes they half distracted her from her fear.
It came back again when she saw Mr. Richmond appear from the end of the church porch and make his way across the snow towards the parsonage door. Matilda watched him lovingly; then was possessed with a sudden notion that he was bringing her news. He walks as if he had something to say, she said to herself; and he will come in and say it.
He came in and warmed his hands at the fire, without sitting down; certainly there was an air of business about him, as she had thought. Matilda stood watching and waiting; that fear at her heart.
"Where's Norton?" said Mr. Richmond.
"He went out a good while ago. I don't know, sir."
"I suppose you have expected to hear of your aunt's coming home, before now, Matilda?"
"Yes, sir," said the child. He watched her furtively. No curiosity, no question; her face settled rather into a non-expectant state, as if all were fixed for her for ever—a look Mr. Richmond did not like to see.