“Yes, miss.”
“And you told them the news at Limmeridge House?”
“Yes, miss. And I’m quite sure nothing was said to frighten the poor thing, for I was talking when she was taken ill. It gave me quite a turn, miss, to see it, never having been taken faint myself.”
Before any more questions could be put to her, she was called away to receive a basket of eggs at the dairy door. As she left us I whispered to Miss Halcombe—
“Ask her if she happened to mention, last night, that visitors were expected at Limmeridge House.”
Miss Halcombe showed me, by a look, that she understood, and put the question as soon as the dairymaid returned to us.
“Oh yes, miss, I mentioned that,” said the girl simply. “The company coming, and the accident to the brindled cow, was all the news I had to take to the farm.”
“Did you mention names? Did you tell them that Sir Percival Glyde was expected on Monday?”
“Yes, miss—I told them Sir Percival Glyde was coming. I hope there was no harm in it—I hope I didn’t do wrong.”
“Oh no, no harm. Come, Mr. Hartright, Hannah will begin to think us in the way, if we interrupt her any longer over her work.”