Her mother came to the door, and Emily answered her that she would lie for an hour or two longer, being still unwell.

During the half-hour that followed she sat listening intently to every sound in the house.

Hood, having breakfasted, came upstairs and entered his room; when, a few minutes later, he came out, his steps made a pause at her threshold.

Her heart beat in sickening fear; she could not have found voice to reply to him had he spoken.

But he did not do so, and went downstairs.