I have gone through--a great deal."
Her look of weakness and exhaustion did indeed strike him painfully. He put
out his hand and pressed hers.
"Well, so far, so good," he said, gravely. "It must be a great relief to
your mind." Then in another and a lower tone he added, "Poor old boy!"
Lady Coryston made no reply except to say that she must get ready for
luncheon. She left the room just as Sir Wilfrid perceived a rider on a bay
horse approaching through the park, and recognized Edward Newbury.
"Handsome fellow!" he thought, as he watched him from the window; "and sits
his horse uncommonly well. Why doesn't that girl fly to meet him? They used
to in my days."
But Newbury dismounted with only a footman to receive him, and Marcia did
not appear till the gong had rung for luncheon.
Sir Wilfrid's social powers were severely taxed to keep that meal going.
Lady Coryston sat almost entirely silent and ate nothing. Marcia too ate
little and talked less. Newbury indeed had arrived in radiant spirits,
bringing a flamboyant account of Marcia's trousseau which he had extracted
from a weekly paper, and prepared to tease her thereon. But he could
scarcely get the smallest rise out of her, and presently he, too, fell
silent, throwing uneasy glances at her from time to time.
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