This message took Miss Garth by
surprise. It showed that Mr. Clare had been made acquainted with his
dead friend's purpose of sending for Mr. Pendril. Was the old man's
thoughtful offer of hospitality another indirect expression of the
natural human distress which he perversely concealed? or was he aware of
some secret necessity for Mr. Pendril's presence, of which the bereaved
family had been kept in total ignorance? Miss Garth was too heart-sick
and hopeless to dwell on either question. She told Frank that Mr.
Pendril had been expected at three o'clock, and sent him back with her
thanks.
Shortly after his departure, such anxieties on Magdalen's account as
her mind was now able to feel were relieved by better news than her last
night's experience had inclined her to hope for. Norah's influence had
been exerted to rouse her sister; and Norah's patient sympathy had
set the prisoned grief free. Magdalen had suffered severely--suffered
inevitably, with such a nature as hers--in the effort that relieved her.
The healing tears had not come gently; they had burst from her with a
torturing, passionate vehemence--but Norah had never left her till
the struggle was over, and the calm had come.
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