s referring to Annabel's expected arrival in London for the
season, she added this:

'A very shocking story has just come to my ears. I oughtn't really to
repeat it to you, dear, and yet in another way it is my duty to. Mr.
Egremont has disappeared, and with him the girl who was just going to
marry his librarian--the poor man you know of from him. There are no
means of knowing whether they have run away together to be married--or
not. Everybody knows about it; it is the talk of Lambeth. My husband
heard of it at once. The girl is said to be very good-looking. I wish I
could refuse to believe it, but _there is no doubt whatever_. You ought
to know at once; but perhaps you will have heard already. I never knew
anything more dreadful, and I can't say what I feel.'

There was not much more in the letter. Having fastened up the envelope,
Paula let it lie on her desk, whilst she walked about the room. Each
time she passed the desk she looked at the letter, and lingered a
little. Once she took it up and seemed about to open it again. Her
expression all this time was very strange; her colour came and went;
she bit her lips, and twisted her fingers together. At length she rang
the bell, and when the servant came, gave the letter to be posted
immediately.

Five minutes later she was in her bedroom, sitting in a low chair,
crying like a very unhappy child.

The letter reached Eastbourne two days before that appointed for the
departure of Annabel and her father for London. They had accepted Mrs.
Tyrrell's invitation to her house; Mr. Newthorpe might remain only a
fortnight, or might stay through the season--but Annabel would not come
back to Eastbourne before August. She said little, but her father saw
with what pleasure she anticipated this change. He wondered whether it
would do her good or harm. Her books lay almost unused; of late she had
attended chiefly to music, in such hours as were not spent out of
doors. Mr. Newthorpe's health was as far improved as he could hope it
ever would be. He too looked forward to associating once more with the
few friends he had in London.

It was in the evening that Annabel, entering after a long drive with
her father, found Paula's letter. She took it from the hall in passing
to her room.

At dinner she spoke very little. After the meal she said that she
wished to walk over to The Chestnuts. She left her father deep in a
French novel--he read much more of the lighter literature now than