Miss Meadows was the first person whom they saw at Willow Lawn. Two letters had passed, both so conventionally civil, that her state of mind could not be gathered from them, but her first tones proved that coherence was more than ever wanting, and no one attempted to understand anything she said, while she enfolded Sophy in an agitated embrace, and marshalled them to the drawing-room, where the chief of the apologies were spent upon Sophy’s new couch, which had been sent down the day before by the luggage-train, and which she and Eweretta had attempted to put together in an impossible way, failing which, they had called in the carpenter, who had made it worse. It was an untold advantage that she had to take the initiative in excuses. Sophy was so meek with weariness, that she took pretty well all the kind fidgeting that could not be averted from her, and Miss Meadows’s discourse chiefly tended to assurances that Mrs. Kendal was right, and grandmamma was nervous--and poor Mr. Bowles--it could not be expected--with hints of the wonderful commotion the sudden flight to London had excited at Bayford. As soon as Mr. Kendal quitted the room, these hints were converted into something between expostulation, condolence, and congratulation. It was so very fortunate--so very lucky that dear Mr. Kendal had come home with her, for--she had said she would let Mrs. Kendal hear, if only that she might be on her guard--people were so ill-natured--there never was such a place for gossip--not that she heard it from any one but Mrs. Drury, who really now had driven in--not that she believed it, but to ascertain.--For Mrs. Drury had been told--mentioning no names--oh, no! for fear of making mischief--she had been told that Mrs. Kendal had actually been into Mr. Kendal’s study, which was always kept locked up, and there she had found something which had distressed her so much that she had gone to Mr. Dusautoy, and by his advice had fled from home to the protection of her brother in Canada. ‘Without waiting for Bluebeard’s asking for the key! Oh, Maria!’ cried Albinia, in a fit of laughter, while Sophia sat up on the sofa in speechless indignation.