But Euphra was cool enough to inflict on them quite twenty minutes of
waiting; by which time she was able to behave with tolerable propriety.
When she did appear at last, she was closely veiled, and stepped into the
carriage without once showing her face. But she made a very pretty apology
for the delay she had occasioned; which was certainly due, seeing it had
been perfectly intentional. She made room for Hugh; he took his place
beside her; and away they drove.
Euphra scarcely spoke; but begged indulgence, on the ground of her
headache. Lady Emily enjoyed the drive very much, and said a great many
pleasant little nothings.
“Would you like a glass of milk?” said Mrs. Elton to her, as they passed a
farm-house on the estate.
“I should—very much,” answered Lady Emily.
The carriage was stopped, and the servant sent to beg a glass of milk.
Euphra, who, from riding backward with a headache, had been feeling very
uncomfortable for some time, wished to get out while the carriage was
waiting. Hugh jumped out, and assisted her. She walked a little way,
leaning on his arm, up to the house, where she had a glass of water; after
which she said she felt better, and returned with him to the carriage. In
getting in again, either from the carelessness or the weakness occasioned
by suffering, her foot slipped from the step, and she fell with a cry of
alarm. Hugh caught her as she fell; and she would not have been much
injured, had not the horses started and sprung forward at the moment, so
that the hind wheel of the carriage passed over her ankle. Hugh, raising
her in his arms, found she was insensible.
He laid her down upon the grass by the roadside. Water was procured, but
she showed no sign of recovering.—What was to be done? Mrs. Elton
thought she had better be carried to the farm-house. Hugh judged it better
to take her home at once. To this, after a little argument, Mrs. Elton
agreed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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