was in a sad way?

"You'll have your dinner first?" said the rector.

"No, I think not. I shall wish to make her take something, and I can do
it better if I ask for tea for myself. I will go at once. Poor dear
little boy."

"It was a blow I always feared," said the rector to his daughter as soon
as his wife had left them. "Indeed, I knew that it was coming."

"And she was always fearing it," said Fanny. "But I do not think he did.
He never seems to think that evil will come to him."

"He will feel this," said the rector.

"Feel it papa! Of course he will feel it."

"I do not think he would--not deeply, that is--if there were four or
five of them. He is a hard man; the hardest man I ever knew. Who ever
saw him playing with his own child, or with any other? Who ever heard
him say a soft word to his wife? But he will feel it now, for this child
was his heir. He will be hit hard now, and I pity him."

Mrs. Clavering went across the park alone, and soon found herself in the
poor bereaved mother's room. She was sitting by herself; having driven
the old house keeper away from her; and there were no traces of tears
then on her face, though she had wept plentifully when Mrs. Clavering
had been with her in the morning. But there had come upon her suddenly a
look of age, which nothing but such sorrow as this can produce. Mrs.
Clavering was surprised to see that she had dressed herself carefully
since the morning, as was her custom to do daily, even when alone; and
that she was not in her bedroom, but in a small sitting room which she
generally used when Sir Hugh was not at the Park.

"My poor Hermione," said Mrs. Clavering, coming up to her, and taking
her by the hand.

"Yes, I am poor; poor enough. Why have they troubled you to come across
again?"

"Did you not send for me? But it was quite right, whether you sent or
no. Of course I should come when I heard it. It cannot be good for you
to be all alone."

"I suppose he will be here to-night?"

"Yes, if he got your message before three o'clock."

"Oh, he will have received it, and I suppose he will come. You think he
will come, eh?"

"Of course he will come."

"I do not know. He does not like coming to the country."

"He will be sure to come now, Hermione."

"And who will tell him? Some one must tell him before he comes to me.
Should there not be some one to tell him? They have sent another
message."

"Hannah shall be at hand to tell him." Hannah was the