Her face was pale, and had a look of deep distress.

It was several years since Mr.Johnson remembered to have seen her, and he was almost startled at the painful change which had taken place.
A little while afterwards he looked upon the cheerful, smiling face of his daughter Flora, and there arose in his heart, almost involuntarily, an emotion of thankfulness that she was not the wife of Mortimer.

Could he have seen what passed a few hours afterwards, in the dwelling of the latter, he would have been more thankful than ever.
It was after eleven o'clock when Mortimer returned home that night.
He had been away since morning.

It was rarely that he dined with his family, but usually came home early in the evening.

Since seven o'clock, the tea-table had been standing in the floor, awaiting his return.