She stood upon the hearthstone while the servant rebolted the door, and then asked,-- "Is dinner served, Noel ?" "It be over, Miss Charlotte." So she went to her own room.

It was chilly and dreary.

The fire had been allowed to die down, and had only just been replenished.

It was smoking also, and the candles on her toilet-table burned dimly in the damp atmosphere.

She hurriedly changed her gown, and was going down-stairs, when a movement in Sophia's room arrested her attention.