Jan's pressure
of work caused him of late to be irregular at his meals.
Scarcely was the tea over, and Master Cheese gone, when Mr. Bourne
called. Deborah, the one thought uppermost in her mind, closed the door,
and spoke out what she had heard. The terrible fear, her own distress,
Jan's belief that it was Fred himself, Jan's representation that Mr.
Bourne also believed it. Mr. Bourne, leaning forward until his pale face
and his iron-gray hair nearly touched hers, whispered in answer that he
did not think there was a doubt of it.
Then Deborah did nerve herself to the task. On the departure of the
vicar, she started for Verner's Pride and asked to see Sibylla. The
servants would have shown her to the drawing-room, but she preferred to
go up to Sibylla's chamber. The company were yet in the dining-room.
How long Sibylla kept her waiting there, she scarcely knew. Sibylla was
not in the habit of putting herself to inconvenience for her sisters.
The message was taken to her--that Miss West waited in her chamber--as
she entered the drawing-room. And there Sibylla let her wait.
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