He instantly went forward into the light; to his surprise she was as pale as a lily.
'O, Mr.Somerset!' she exclaimed.

'You ought not to frighten me so--indeed you ought not! The train came out almost as soon as you had gone in, and as you did not return--an accident was possible!' Somerset at once perceived that he had been to blame in not thinking of this.
'Please do forgive my thoughtlessness in not reflecting how it would strike you!' he pleaded.

'I--I see I have alarmed you.' Her alarm was, indeed, much greater than he had at first thought: she trembled so much that she was obliged to sit down, at which he went up to her full of solicitousness.
'You ought not to have done it!' she said.

'I naturally thought--any person would--' Somerset, perhaps wisely, said nothing at this outburst; the cause of her vexation was, plainly enough, his perception of her discomposure.

He stood looking in another direction, till in a few moments she had risen to her feet again, quite calm.
'It would have been dreadful,' she said with faint gaiety, as the colour returned to her face; 'if I had lost my architect, and been obliged to engage Mr.Havill without an alternative.' 'I was really in no danger; but of course I ought to have considered,' he said.
'I forgive you,' she returned good-naturedly.