'
Marian took the sheet, unfolded it, and read. As soon as she had
reached the end she looked wildly at her mother, seemed to
endeavour vainly to speak, then fell to the floor in
unconsciousness. The mother was only just able to break the
violence of her fall. Having snatched a pillow and placed it
beneath Marian's head, she rushed to the door and called loudly
for her husband, who in a moment appeared.
'What is it?' she cried to him. 'Look, she has fallen down in a
faint. Why are you treating her like this?'
'Attend to her,' Yule replied roughly. 'I suppose you know better
than I do what to do when a person faints.'
The swoon lasted for several minutes.
'What's in the letter?' asked Mrs Yule whilst chafing the
lifeless hands.
'Her money's lost. The people who were to pay it have just
failed.'
'She won't get anything?'
'Most likely nothing at all.'
The letter was a private communication from one of John Yule's
executors. It seemed likely that the demand upon Turberville &
Co. for an account of the deceased partner's share in their
business had helped to bring about a crisis in affairs that were
already unstable.
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