She rang the bell hard. The footman came.
"Send Harriet to me this instant. Oh, and ask papa to come to me."
Then she sat down and dashed off a line to Christopher. This was for
Harriet to take out to him. Anything better than for Christopher to be
caught doing what was wrong.
The footman came back first. "If you please, miss, master has gone out."
"Run after him--the road to Gravesend."
"Yes, miss."
"No. It is no use. Never mind."
"Yes, miss."
Then Harriet came in. "Did you want me, miss?"
"Yes. No--never mind now."
She was afraid to do anything for fear of making matters worse. She went
to the window, and stood looking anxiously out, with her hands working.
Presently she uttered a little scream and shrank away to the sofa. She
sank down on it, half sitting, half lying, hid her face in her hands,
and waited.
Staines, with a lover's impatience, had been more than an hour at the
gate, or walking up and down close by it, his heart now burning with
hope, now freezing with fear, that she would decline a meeting on these
terms.
At last the postman came, and then he saw he was too soon; but now in
a few minutes Rosa would have his letter, and then he should soon know
whether she would come or not.
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