The minutes crawled by on leaden feet. When she returned from feeding her
poultry she was absolutely aghast to hear the church clock only striking
ten! It seemed to her that a whole eternity of time had elapsed since the
moment when the delivery of the morning post, destitute of news from Brett,
had plunged her into this dreadful agony of uncertainty.
Suddenly she heard the gate click. She had been unconsciously listening for
that sound with an intensity of which she was unaware--expecting, hoping,
almost praying for tidings of some kind. Surely, if he did not come
himself, Brett would at least send her a message of some sort!
When at last the click and rattle of the wooden gate, as it swung to, smote
on her ears, she felt powerless to go and meet whoever it might be whose
coming the sound heralded. A curious numbness pervaded all her limbs, and
she leaned against the table, almost holding her breath, while the measured
tread of Maria's sturdy feet resounded along the passage leading from the
kitchen to the front of the house.
Ann heard the opening of the cottage door, followed by the soft murmur of
women's voices instead of by the high treble of the telegraph boy which she
had expected.
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