He seems to have had a restless time of it, too.

But he is a romantic person, and probably, if an earthquake did not make him sleepless, something else might." He looked at her a moment, and then added, with a smile, "But perhaps this is not news to you ?" "He didn't come--I didn't see him," returned Grace, wishing, ere the words had left her lips, that she had kept her mouth shut.

Freeman continued to smile.

How much did he know?
She felt that it might be inexpedient to continue the conversation.

Casting about for a pretext for retreat, her eyes fell upon Meschines.
"Oh, there's the dear professor! I must speak to him a moment," she exclaimed, vivaciously; and she slipped her arm from Miriam's waist, and was off, leaving Freeman in possession of the field, and of the monopoly of Miriam's society.
"Miss Trednoke," said he, gravely, "I have something to tell you, in order to clear myself from a possible misunderstanding.