In ten minutes more it rattled away, full outside and in; and
the housekeeper's own eyes assured her that neither Mr. Bygrave himself,
nor any one belonging to North Shingles, was among the passengers.
There was only one more precaution to take, and Mrs. Lecount did not
neglect it. Mr. Bygrave had doubtless seen the coach call at Sea
View. He might hire a carriage and follow it to the railway on pure
speculation. Mrs. Lecount remained within view of the inn (the only
place at which a carriage could be obtained) for nearly an hour longer,
waiting for events. Nothing happened; no carriage made its appearance;
no pursuit of Noel Vanstone was now within the range of human
possibility. The long strain on Mrs. Lecount's mind relaxed at last. She
left her seat on the Parade, and returned in higher spirits than usual,
to perform the closing household ceremonies at Sea View.
She sat down alone in the parlor and drew a long breath of relief.
Captain Wragge's calculations had not deceived him. The evidence of her
own senses had at last conquered the housekeeper's incredulity, and had
literally forced her into the opposite extreme of belief.
Estimating the events of the last three days from her own experience of
them; knowing (as she certainly knew) that the first idea of going to
St.
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