"He has come to tell me the decision," said Elizabeth to Mrs. Eveleigh;
"he promised he would come immediately. It's good news."
"Then what makes you so pale? And you're actually trembling."
Elizabeth looked at her companion in surprise, for all her years of
acquaintance with her.
"Don't you understand?" she said. "The strain is to be taken off. The
certainty must be good; and yet there is the possibility that it is not.
This and the thought that the moment has come make me tremble."
As she was speaking she moved away and in another moment was in the
drawing-room with Archdale.
"You have brought me word," she said, as soon as her greeting was over.
"You have good news; I see it in your eyes."
"Yes," he answered. "I suppose you will call it good news. You are free;
you are still Mistress Royal."
She clasped her hands impulsively, and retreated a few steps. It seemed
to him as he watched her that her first emotion was a thankfulness as
deep as a prayer. He saw that she could not speak. Then she came up to
him holding out both her hands.
"Never was any one so welcome to me as you with your words this
morning," she said. "I have not spoiled your life and Katie's."
"And you are free," he said again.
"Yes," she repeated, "I am free." And as she drew away her hands she
made a movement almost imperceptible and instantly checked, as if she
had thrown off some heavy weight.
Pages:
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141