Page 211 (1/2)

Rachel walked home in a kind of dreamy bewilderment The first stone in

her castle had been loosened, and her heart was beginning to fail

her, though the tenacity of her will produced a certain incapacity of

believing that she had been absolutely deceived Her whole fabric was

so compact, and had been so much solidified by her own intensity of

purpose, that any hollowness of foundation was utterly beyond present

credence She was ready to be affronted with Mauleverer for perilling

all for a bad joke, but wildly impossible as this explanation would have

see the

full brunt of the blow upon her cherished hopes

She had just re-entered the house on her return, when Grace , "Oh, Rachel dear, Mrs Rossitur is here"

"I think old servants have a peculiar propensity for turning up when the

house is in a state of turarden with her, and doing ood-naturedly, "but she

really wants to see you on business She has a bill for the F U E E

which she wants you to pay"

"A bill for the F U E E?"

"Yes; sheyou, but Torocer, and they want this fifteen pounds to make up

the fee"