Of course, to retire to rest late, necessitated, with Lady Augusta
Yorke, rising late the next morning. About eleven o'clock she came down
to breakfast. A letter on the breakfast-table brought to her
remembrance the letters of the previous night, and she sent Martha for
them. Looking at their addresses, she perceived one of them to be from
Roland; the other from Lord Carrick: and she laid them by her to be
opened presently.
"Mr. Galloway called last night, my lady," observed Martha.
"Oh, did he?" said Lady Augusta.
"He said he wanted to see your ladyship particularly. But I said you
were gone to Colonel Joliffe's."
Barely had Lady Augusta tasted her coffee, the letters still lying
unopened at her side, when William Yorke entered, having just left the
cathedral.
"This is a terrible blow, Lady Augusta," he observed, as he sat down.
"What's a blow?" returned Lady Augusta. "Will you take some coffee,
William?" "Have you not heard of it?" he replied, declining the coffee
with a gesture. "I thought it probable that you would have received
news from Roland."
"A letter arrived from Roland last night," she said, touching the
letter in question. "What is the matter? Is there bad news in it? What!
have you heard anything?"
Mr. Yorke had not the slightest doubt that the letter before him must
contain the same confession which had been conveyed to Arthur and to
Mr. Galloway. He thought it better that she should hear it from him,
than read it unprepared.
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