CHAPTER XXIII.
Sir Hugh's Return For the next half hour Lady Clavering sat alone listening with eager ear for the sound of her husband's wheels, and at last she had almost told herself that the hour for his coming had gone by, when she heard the rapid grating on the gravel as the dog-cart was driven up to the door.
She ran out on to the corridor, but her heart sank within her as she did so, and she took tightly hold of the balustrade to support herself.

For a moment she had thought of running down to meet him; of trusting to the sadness of the moment to produce in him, if it were but for a minute, something of tender solicitude; but she remembered that the servants would be there, and knew that he would not be soft before them.

She remembered also that the housekeeper had received her instructions, and she feared to disarrange the settled programme.

So she went back to the open door of the room, that her retreating step might not be heard by him as he should come up to her, and standing there she still listened.
The house was silent and her ears were acute with sorrow.

She could hear the movement of the old woman as she gently, tremblingly, as Lady Clavering knew, made her way down the hall to meet her master.