A fly, which somewhat unaccountably was seen lingering in front of the house, was called up, and Cytherea’s luggage put upon it.

’Do you know of any hotel near the station that is open for night arrivals?’ Owen inquired of the driver.

’A place has been bespoke for you, sir, at the White Unicorn—­and the gentleman wished me to give you this.’

‘Bespoken by Springrove, who ordered the fly, of course,’ said Owen to himself.  By the light of the street-lamp he read these lines, hurriedly traced in pencil:—­

’I have gone home by the mail-train.  It is better for all parties that I should be out of the way.  Tell Cytherea that I apologize for having caused her such unnecessary pain, as it seems I did—­but it cannot be helped now.  E.S.’

Owen handed his sister into the vehicle, and told the flyman to drive on.

‘Poor Springrove—­I think we have served him rather badly,’ he said to Cytherea, repeating the words of the note to her.

A thrill of pleasure passed through her bosom as she listened to them.  They were the genuine reproach of a lover to his mistress; the trifling coldness of her answer to him would have been noticed by no man who was only a friend.  But, in entertaining that sweet thought, she had forgotten herself, and her position for the instant.

Was she still Manston’s wife—­that was the terrible supposition, and her future seemed still a possible misery to her.  For, on account of the late jarring accident, a life with Manston which would otherwise have been only a sadness, must become a burden of unutterable sorrow.

Then she thought of the misrepresentation and scandal that would ensue if she were no wife.  One cause for thankfulness accompanied the reflection; Edward knew the truth.

They soon reached the quiet old inn, which had been selected for them by the forethought of the man who loved her well.  Here they installed themselves for the night, arranging to go to Budmouth by the first train the next day.

At this hour Edward Springrove was fast approaching his native county on the wheels of the night-mail.

XIV.  THE EVENTS OF FIVE WEEKS

1.  FROM THE SIXTH TO THE THIRTEENTH OF JANUARY

Manston had evidently resolved to do nothing in a hurry.

This much was plain, that his earnest desire and intention was to raise in Cytherea’s bosom no feelings of permanent aversion to him.  The instant after the first burst of disappointment had escaped him in the hotel at Southampton, he had seen how far better it would be to lose her presence for a week than her respect for ever.

‘She shall be mine; I will claim the young thing yet,’ he insisted.  And then he seemed to reason over methods for compassing that object, which, to all those who were in any degree acquainted with the recent event, appeared the least likely of possible contingencies.