CHAPTER XLII.
A PARTING INTERVIEW Mrs.Woodward remained with her eldest daughter for two days after the trial, and then she was forced to return to Hampton.
She had earnestly entreated Gertrude to accompany her, with her child; but Mrs.Tudor was inflexible.

She had, she said, very much to do; so much, that she could not possibly leave London; the house and furniture were on her hands, and must be disposed of; their future plans must be arranged; and then nothing, she said, should induce her to sleep out of sight of her husband's prison, or to omit any opportunity of seeing him which the prison rules would allow her.
Mrs.Woodward would not have left one child in such extremity, had not the state of another child made her presence at the Cottage indispensable.

Katie's anxiety about the trial had of course been intense, so intense as to give her a false strength, and somewhat to deceive Linda as to her real state.

Tidings of course passed daily between London and the Cottage, but for three days they told nothing.

On the morning of the fourth day, however, Norman brought the heavy news, and Katie sank completely under it.