arcel to a young lady
who is waiting for it at the station."
"A young lady who is waiting for it at the station?" said Trevor.
"Yes, sir: Miss Florence Aylmer. There is no answer, sir."
Trevor received the little brown-paper parcel, very neatly made up and
addressed to Miss Florence Aylmer, in unbounded astonishment.
Thomas, relieved and feeling that his duty was well done, gave the mare
her head and was soon out of sight. Trevor entered the station. He went
to the ladies' waiting-room, and there saw Florence Aylmer. She came to
the door the moment he appeared.
"What are you doing here?" was his exclamation.
"You may well wonder. But why are you here?"
"I came to give you this." As she spoke he placed the little parcel in
Florence's hand.
"Thank you," she said. She had brought a small bag with her; she opened
it and dropped the parcel into it. Her face looked worried; it had
turned red when she saw Trevor: it was now very white.
He stood leaning up against the door of the waiting-room and
contemplated her in astonishment.
"What have you been doing here all day?" he repeated.
"That is my affair," she answered.
"Forgive me; I do not want to be unduly curious, but surely when you
were so near you might have come on to the Court. We should all have
been glad to see you, and Mrs. Aylmer is your aunt."
"You must please remember, Mr. Trevor," said Florence, speaking in as
stately a tone as she could assume, "that Mrs. Aylmer does not act as my
aunt--she does not wish to have anything to do with me."
"But you have been here for hours in this dingy waiting-room."
"No; I took a walk when I thought no one was looking."
"That means you do not wish it to be known that you are here?"
"I do not; and I earnestly beg of you not to mention it. Did Miss Keys
really give you the parcel to bring to me?"
"She really did nothing of the kind. She gave it to one of the grooms,
who could not leave a spirited mare. He saw me and asked me to deliver
it into your hands."
"Thank you," said Florence. She stood silent for a moment; then she
looked at the clock.
"I must go," she said; "there is a train back to town immediately, and I
want to cross to the other platform."
"I will see you into the train if you will allow me."
Florence could not refuse; but she heartily wished Trevor anywhere else
in the world.
"You will be sure not to mention that you saw me here," she said.
"I may speak of it, I supp
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